The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that COPD and adenocarcinoma of the stomach were not incurred in or related to service. The Board also found that these conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence demonstrating that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused, combined to cause, contributed substantially or materially to cause, or aided or lent assistance to, his death.
- Claimed conditions
- scotoma, central, left eye, adenocarcinoma of the stomach, traumatic arthritis of the left ankle, osteomyelitis, left fibula
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 23, 2018
- Citation
- 18104984
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 18104984.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for adenocarcinoma of the stomach to obtain a VA examination addressing its nature and etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's left foot condition, diagnosed as plantar fasciitis with callosities, is rated at 20 percent. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA's carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill in providing post-surgical treatment for the Veteran's left leg and ankle condition proximately caused additional disabilities. The case is being remanded to allow for a thorough review of the medical records and an appropriate clinician's opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for adenocarcinoma of the stomach, cancer status post gastrectomy due to lack of a causal relationship with the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, panic disorder, alcohol use disorder, and stimulant use disorder.
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