The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to fulminant hepatic failure, hepatic encephalopathy, metabolic acidosis, and cardiopulmonary failure. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his INACDUTRA service or any other period of active duty.
The deciding factor: There is no credible evidence that the Veteran's death was caused by an injury incurred during his INACDUTRA service. The cause of death, fulminant hepatic failure, was attributed to hepatitis E contracted after travel outside the United States shortly before his death.
- Claimed conditions
- fulminant hepatic failure, hepatic encephalopathy, metabolic acidosis, cardiopulmonary failure
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 19, 2023
- Citation
- 23003544
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 23003544.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and its secondary effects on other conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, and splenomegaly.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore his surviving spouse is denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service, including exposure to herbicides and in-service diagnoses, and his cause of death.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary failure and adenocarcinoma of the rectum, both related to his military service.
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.