The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not contribute to his death and were not significant enough to require aid and attendance. Therefore, the claim for service connection for cause of death was denied, as well as the claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's Alzheimer's dementia, which caused his death, was not related to his service-connected PTSD and shrapnel wounds. The need for aid and attendance was attributed to non-service-connected factors such as dementia and other health problems.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Scar from shrapnel wounds
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2018
- Citation
- 1802744
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 1802744.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding the appellant's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 21, 2007, for the award of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
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