The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities contributed to his death with obesity as an intermediate step. The DIC compensation based on a total disability rating prior to the Veteran's death under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is dismissed.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether the service-connected disabilities contributed to the Veteran's cause of death, with obesity as an intermediate step.
- Claimed conditions
- herniated nucleus pulposus status post laminectomy L5 and discectomy L5-S1, residuals of fracture, right clavicle, r radiculopathy, right lower extremity associated with herniated nucleus pulposus status post laminectomy L5 and discectomy L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 26, 2024
- Citation
- A24021626
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 A24021626.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD or pain from his other disabilities caused or aggravated his heart disease, which was the cause of death.
- Denied
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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