The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death, finding that the Veteran's death was due to natural causes and not related to his service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it impossible to link the cause of death to the Veteran’s service-connected conditions without an autopsy, which contradicted what was noted on the death certificate.
- Claimed conditions
- duodenal ulcer with gastroenterostomy, gunshot wound to the left abdominal, amputation of the left index finger, gunshot wound to the left forearm, gunshot wound to the right leg, prostatitis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20066384
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 service connection for prostatitis, HIV, CHF, GERD, herpes, a pulmonary disability, headaches, and type 2 diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability or a nexus to service or a service-connected disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance, finding no evidence that he required such assistance prior to September 21, 2022.
- Dismissed
The Board denied the veteran's attempts to appeal rating decisions that denied service connection for various conditions and reduced his evaluation, as the appeals were not timely filed.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the restoration of a 100 percent rating for prostate cancer but granted a 100 percent rating based on renal dysfunction from September 1, 2024.
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.