The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, concluding that it was not caused by a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinion found no causal link between the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder and his respiratory condition (end-stage COPD) which led to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- end stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 8, 2023
- Citation
- 23065194
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 23065194.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected depression is found to be the principal cause of his death due to cardiopulmonary arrest and pneumonia.
- Denied
The Veteran died in January 2013 and was not service-connected for any condition at the time of his death. His burial benefits claim is denied as he did not meet the criteria for payment.
- Denied
The Veteran's lung disability, rated at 60 percent disabling, did not render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his functional impairment. The Board found the evidence insufficient to establish that he met the criteria for SMP based on the need for the regular aid and attendance of another person.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is not well grounded, as there is no competent medical evidence linking his death to his active service or any service-connected disabilities.
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