The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to liver failure and complications from a liver transplant, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners concluded that the Veteran’s liver failure and complications were not related to his time in service and were more likely caused by his long-term alcohol abuse. The death certificate listed liver failure as the cause of death, and there was no evidence linking it to his service-connected conditions or military service.
- Claimed conditions
- liver failure, complications from liver transplant
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20006203
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's heart condition, liver condition, or hepatitis C began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, liver failure due to cardiac cirrhosis, as it was not caused by or substantially contributed to by an event, injury, or disease incurred in active military service, including presumed herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not contribute to his death, and the Board found that liposarcoma was not a contributory cause of sepsis. The Board denied service connection for the cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were remanded for further development, including a possible RO hearing or informal conference.
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.