The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is being remanded to determine if his in-service motor vehicle accident contributed substantially or materially to his death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the cause of the Veteran's death was due to severe occlusive coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and renal failure, not related to service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- prosthetic left eye, scars of the face, residuals of fourth rib fracture with arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20031834
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 20031834.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for left eye glaucoma and prosthetic left eye was granted with an effective date of November 19, 1980.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for increased disability ratings for scars of the head, face, and neck is being remanded due to inadequate development. The AOJ must ensure that color photographs are taken by a VA examiner and uploaded to the claims file.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn his claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected limitation of extension of the right knee, an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected scars of the face, service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and service connection for left foot arthritis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a combined 100 percent disability rating, which was granted on September 29, 2006. The appeal is currently in remand status due to unresolved issues regarding the July 1985 decision and clarification of his April 2008 notice of disagreement.
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.