The Veteran died from a combination of underlying conditions, none of which were service-connected. The Board found that the cause of death was not caused by any service-connected disability and denied DIC benefits for cause of death as well as survivor's pension due to income exceeding maximum rates.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the causes of death were unrelated to service-connected conditions, thus denying DIC based on service connection for cause of death. The surviving spouse also did not meet income requirements for nonservice-connected survivor's pension benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Pulmonary tuberculosis, Atrial fibrillation, Right frontal lobe stroke, Septic shock, Staphylococcus infection
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19153223
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 19153223.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for congestive heart failure with implanted pacemaker, bradycardia, valvular heart disease, and atrial fibrillation, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 100 percent evaluation for coronary artery disease and awarded special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, while denying earlier effective dates for both conditions and an increased rating for atrial fibrillation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for further development, including obtaining a new medical nexus opinion and addressing potential exposure to herbicides and asbestos.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for atrial fibrillation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with congestive heart failure to correct an error by the AOJ in satisfying a regulatory or statutory duty.
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