The Veteran's treatment at Doctors Memorial Hospital on February 11, 2016 was for a condition of such severity that delay in seeking immediate medical attention would have been hazardous to his health. The nearest VA facility with an emergency department was not feasibly available and using it beforehand would not have been reasonable by a prudent layperson. Therefore, the Veteran is entitled to reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred.
The deciding factor: The condition (deep vein thrombosis) presented as a medical emergency requiring immediate attention due to its severity and potential risk of serious health consequences.
- Claimed conditions
- Deep vein thrombosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19184527
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as none of the listed causes were related to his period of active duty or presumed exposure to herbicides.
- Granted
The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for emergency treatment of deep vein thrombosis are granted, subject to VA payment regulations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as there was no evidence to support a link between his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and his military service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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