The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that there was no evidence linking his death to military service or exposure to herbicide agents.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's death and any condition incurred in or aggravated by service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- cor pulmonale, chronic lung disease
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20079473
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 20079473.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed pulmonary conditions, including whether they are related to service exposure. The Veteran is requested to provide an adequate opinion from a clinician.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development of evidence, including obtaining outstanding medical records.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure during active service in the Republic of Vietnam. The other claims were remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the case to obtain an adequate medical opinion on whether the veteran's obstructive sleep apnea includes cor pulmonale, which could increase his disability rating.
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