The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected as his heart failure and other conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.,The Veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of a chronic disease or disability in service, nor any showing that it was aggravated by service. The Board found conflicting medical opinions regarding whether PTSD contributed to heart failure and death.,The Veteran did not meet the requirements for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 as he was not continuously rated totally disabled for a period of at least five years immediately preceding his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute respiratory failure, Acute or chronic heart failure, Acute renal failure, Acute liver failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 18, 2024
- Citation
- A24039047
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 A24039047.
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Related decisions
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The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection for cause of death.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain an adequate opinion regarding the cause of death and its relation to service, including in-service dental treatment. The Veteran died from acute renal failure, metastatic melanoma, cerebral metastasis, or seizure disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death (acute respiratory failure, atrial fibrillation, and/or hypertension) is related to his active duty service, including from exposure to toxins and chemicals from open burn pits during the harsh winters in Korea. The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands for obtaining a VA medical opinion.
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