The Veteran's service-connected bayonet wound substantially contributed to his hypostatic pneumonia and subsequent death, which was the immediate cause of death. The Board finds that this opinion is highly probative as it was rendered by a board certified cardiologist.
The deciding factor: The service-connected residuals of a bayonet wound contributed to diminished lung function and ultimately caused recurrent infections leading to hypostatic pneumonia and death.
- Claimed conditions
- hypostatic pneumonia, residuals of a bayonet wound
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 6, 2017
- Citation
- 1750184
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1750184.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that no new and material evidence had been received since the October 2002 rating decision.
- Partly granted
The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, but it is not clear whether the service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death. The appeal remains undecided.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was listed as chronic renal failure, obstructive uropathy, benign prostatic hypertrophy, urinary tract infections, decubitus ulcer, hypostatic pneumonia and sepsis. The Board found that these conditions were not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing they were incurred in or aggravated by service. Additionally, the Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease was determined not to have contributed to his death.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.
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