The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death, finding that there was no direct link between any service-connected disability and the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish a direct link between any service-connected disability and the Veteran’s cause of death (cardiopulmonary failure due to right lower lobar pneumonia due to severe pulmonary fibrosis).
- Claimed conditions
- cardiopulmonary failure, right lower lobar pneumonia, severe pulmonary fibrosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19102385
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 the Veteran's claim of service connection for cause of death, esophageal carcinoma, malignant pleural effusion, and cardiopulmonary failure. The medical evidence did not support a link between these conditions and his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility for DEA benefits, as there was no competent evidence linking the veteran's severe pulmonary fibrosis or COPD to his military service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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