The Veteran's emergency medical treatment at a private hospital was granted reimbursement because the delay in seeking immediate care would have been hazardous to his health, and the VA facility was not feasibly available.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms were severe enough that a prudent layperson would expect delay in seeking care to be hazardous, and the nearest feasible medical facility was the private hospital where he received treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- Cough, Shortness of breath, Ascites, Bilateral pleural effusions
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 20, 2018
- Citation
- 18137135
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18137135.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's appeal for reimbursement of non-VA medical expenses incurred on August 1, 2014 at Northside Hospital is granted. The Board affords the benefit of doubt to the Veteran and finds that VA facilities were not feasibly available.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for presumptive service connection for hypertension is granted, while the claims for service connection for a cardiovascular disease and shortness of breath are remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence to support a diagnosis or onset of the claimed conditions during active duty.
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