The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the cause of his death is not related to service. The Board denied service connection for the cause of death as well as a claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence linking the Veteran's death to any service-connected condition or VA treatment, and the Board found that neither negligence nor an unforeseeable event caused his death.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal variceal hemorrhage, hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis of liver, hepatitis C virus, diabetes mellitus II
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19181302
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for coronary artery disease with stent placement, diabetes mellitus II, scarring of lungs and liver, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and obstructive sleep apnea was withdrawn by the Veteran through his attorney.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hepatocellular carcinoma as the evidence did not support a link to in-service exposure or injury.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus II, as due to herbicide exposure during the Vietnam War under the PACT Act.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hepatocellular carcinoma, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.