The Veteran's cause of death, a gunshot wound to the right arm/chest resulting in exsanguination and laceration of lung and pulmonary artery, is not related to his service-connected disabilities. The Board finds that these conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to cause death.
The deciding factor: The Veteran died as a result of a gunshot wound unrelated to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- gunshot wound to the right arm/chest, exsanguination, laceration of lung and pulmonary artery
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20023465
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 20023465.
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 has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as his causes of death were due to an abdominal aneurysm rupture rather than any condition related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking the veteran's accidental fall in his residence to any service-related injury or incident. The appellant argued that the veteran's metastatic penile cancer could be presumed due to exposure to herbicides used in Vietnam, but the Board found that this condition is not a presumptive disorder for which such presumption applies.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.