The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and the Board found that none of his service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to his death. The cause of death was determined to be end-stage liver disease due to Hepatitis C.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not establish a link between any of the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his development of Hepatitis C, which caused his death from end-stage liver failure.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Degenerative Disc Disease of the Left Shoulder, Residuals of a Shell Fragment Wound (SFW) of the Left Lower Leg with Limited Flexion of the Left 4th and 5th Toe and Injury to Muscle Groups XII and X, Residuals of a Gunshot Wound (GSW) and SFW of the Left Thigh with Injury to Muscle Groups XIV and XVII, Residuals of a SFW of the Left Hand (MG VIII) and Left Forearm (MG IV), Facial Scar, Otis Media and Otis Externa with Scarred Right Ear Drum, Residuals of a SFW of the Left Flank
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19168937
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 19168937.
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: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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