The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to renal failure and hyperkalemia, attributing it to post-operative coronary bypass and aneurysm repair. The claim was not reopened as new and material evidence did not relate the death to any disease or injury in service.
The deciding factor: The Board found no competent evidence linking the Veteran's death to any disease or injury in service.
- Claimed conditions
- renal failure, hyperkalemia, multi-system organ failure, sepsis, post-operative coronary bypass and aneurysm repair, aneurysmal dilation of the aorta and aortic arch, dissecting ascending aortic aneurysm, atherosclerotic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19132662
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 Board remands the claim for a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including medications taken therefor, were a substantial or contributing factor in his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for cause of death to obtain a new medical opinion due to errors in previous examinations.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a bilateral eye disability and cardiovascular conditions, based on the Veteran's in-service occupational exposures.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including renal failure, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, blackout spells, swelling of the eyelids, diminished eyesight, sleep deprivation, and bladder incontinence. The Board also denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle tendonitis associated with residual scar.
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