The Veteran's death was caused by a TKA infection, which occurred due to VA treatment. The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to determine if the cause of death is compensable under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient information in the current record to determine whether the Veteran's death was caused by carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA.
- Claimed conditions
- TKA infection, left knee cellulitis, postoperative vascular insufficiency, VRE prosthetic joint infection, MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19185280
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,911 · Granted: 10% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19185280.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pneumonia, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and asthma as causes of death. The evidence did not support finding that these conditions were related to his service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and pneumonia due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not supported by the medical records provided.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no evidence linking any of the immediate or contributing causes of his death to his period of active duty service. The Board also found that the PACT Act did not apply in this case as the Veteran served prior to the period when herbicide agents were presumed used.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability, chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia are remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.
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