The Veteran's current condition, including coma and memory loss, is not considered to be caused by VA treatment for gallbladder surgery. The Board finds that the additional disability did not result from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, or similar instance of fault on the part of the attending VA personnel.
The deciding factor: The internal hernia was recognized early in the post-operative course and treated appropriately, suggesting it is unrelated to the gallbladder surgery.
- Claimed conditions
- coma, memory loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19189604
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 19189604.
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 Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for memory loss and found that the issue of TDIU from September 6, 2022 is moot.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for fibromyalgia was granted with an effective date of August 14, 2023. The appeals for earlier effective dates and higher ratings were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate gland injuries, sleep apnea, DM, and hypertension, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service. The application to readjudicate previously denied claims for memory loss, teeth removal, and eye defects was also denied.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal requests were not timely filed, and good cause was not shown to accept the late filings.
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.