The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's death was related to his service-connected respiratory condition or septic shock. The Appellant asserts that the cause of death should be attributed to a pre-existing respiratory condition as a result of in-service asbestos exposure.
The deciding factor: The Board found there is not enough medical evidence to determine if the respiratory condition leading to death was related to service, including asbestos exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute respiratory failure, Lymphoma, Pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2018
- Citation
- 18152457
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 18152457.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran has been evaluated at a 100% disability rating since April 14, 2024. The Board finds the criteria for eligibility to enroll in PCAFC have been met due to his need for personal care services for six continuous months based on his lymphoma and related conditions.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection for cause of death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that none of the listed causes were related to his military service and no service-connected disability contributed to his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eligibility for the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) was remanded due to inadequate medical opinion and insufficient notice. The Board found that the Veteran required personal care services due to his chronic conditions, including lymphoma, congestive heart failure, lung cancer, and decreased mobility.
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