The Veteran's death was caused by the appellant's willful misconduct, resulting in a denial of dependency and indemnity compensation.
The deciding factor: The appellant intentionally and wrongfully caused the death of the Veteran through his actions during an altercation involving a loaded firearm.
- Claimed conditions
- Gunshot wound
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19129066
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was not due to service or a service-connected disability. The appeal for accrued benefits is denied as the claim was not filed within one year of his death, and there were no pending claims at the time of his death. The appeal for death pension benefits is remanded as the appellant needs to provide additional evidence such as police reports and court transcripts related to her husband's death.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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