The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for cause of death, finding that his underlying cause of death (respiratory arrest due to pneumonia and cerebral hemorrhage) was not related to service or a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish any relationship between the Veteran’s service-connected conditions and his cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Atherosclerotic Heart Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Tinnitus, Fracture Residuals of the Left Index Finger, Allergic Rhinitis, Scars on the Lip, Acne Vulgaris, Erectile Dysfunction, Loss of Teeth
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2018
- Citation
- 18155030
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 18155030.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction and a higher rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy with muscle weakness, but granted an earlier effective date for the 60 percent disability rating for thrombosis, TIA or cerebral infarction with impairment of sphincter control and voiding dysfunction, and for service connection for pharynx and/or larynx and/or swallowing conditions residuals.
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