The Veteran's death was caused by chronic renal failure and COPD, with hypertension possibly contributing. The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for cause of death and DIC under § 1318 are inextricably intertwined with the pending claims for PTSD, alcoholism, alcohol-induced dementia, and a heart condition.
The deciding factor: The June 2017 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's smoking, chronic alcoholism, and alcohol-induced dementia likely contributed to his overall deterioration of health, which could have impacted the severity of his service-connected hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, chronic renal failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), PTSD, alcoholism, alcohol-induced dementia, heart condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20024283
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 20024283.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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