The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for necrotizing pancreatitis resulting from VA treatment is granted, and service connection for a psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety or depressive disorder) is also granted. The claims for service connection for myotonic dystrophy and gastrointestinal disorder are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran developed necrotizing pancreatitis as a result of an unforeseeable complication during VA treatment, which was not caused by negligence on the part of VA. Service connection for the psychiatric disorder is granted based on its proximate cause being the necrotizing pancreatitis.
- Claimed conditions
- necrotizing pancreatitis, anxiety or depressive disorder, myotonic dystrophy (claimed as weakening of muscles and loss of muscular control), gastrointestinal disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194307
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19194307.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for mental depression/anxiety, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and gastrointestinal disorder are remanded due to the need for VA examinations and an adequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's gastrointestinal or esophageal disability was caused or aggravated by service or any related conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a duty to assist error. The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder claim will be reconsidered with the inclusion of all relevant private medical records.
- Granted
The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder, including irritable bowel syndrome and a stomach condition, is granted as service connected. The Board found that the symptoms began in service and are related to service.
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