The Board cannot make a fully-informed decision on the issue of service connection for cause of death because no VA examiner has opined whether the Veteran’s service-connected diabetes mellitus II and coronary artery disease contributed to his cause of death. The Veteran's death certificate lists renal failure as the immediate cause of death with severe end stage liver disease and severe congestive heart failure listed as other significant conditions contributing to death.
The deciding factor: The Board cannot make a decision without an opinion on whether the service-connected disabilities contributed to the Veteran’s cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- renal failure, severe end stage liver disease, severe congestive heart failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2018
- Citation
- 18149434
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 18149434.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's chronic kidney disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's causes of death, including Agent Orange exposure and contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune. The appellant is free to highlight post-decisional evidence for the benefit of the examiner.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the severance of service connected death benefits was improper and grants the appeal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the Board Appeal request was not timely filed within one year of the rating decision, and no good cause for extension was presented.
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