The Veteran's unauthorized medical care for a large abdominal aortic aneurysm was denied as there was no indication of a medical emergency and the treatment could have been sought from VA.
The deciding factor: There was no indication that the medical care provided in August 2015 was necessary due to a medical emergency, and the Veteran had the opportunity to seek treatment from VA.
- Claimed conditions
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2018
- Citation
- 18158223
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 18158223.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of the cause of the Veteran's death to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the August 2023 decision on appeal.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for abdominal aortic aneurysm was denied, and his appeal for service connection for deformity of the penis due to circumcision was dismissed.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for an adequate medical opinion regarding whether VA treatment was feasibly available at the time of the private treatment on May 19, 2010.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of recent VA examination and missing treatment records. The Veteran's thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms need to be reassessed.
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