The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 are not met.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinions did not consider the combined effect of hypertension and diabetes on the Veteran's health at the time of his death, which could have contributed to his cause of death (ARDS due to or as a consequence of COVID-19 pneumonia).
- Claimed conditions
- status post total right knee arthroplasty with joint osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, limitation of flexion, traumatic arthritis of the right knee, hypertension, recurrent low back strain with L5 irregularity with degenerative spondylosis and low back strain/pain, scar status post right knee replacement, laceration of the right eye, hemorrhoids, left inguinal hernia, postoperative, prostatitis, tinea cruris, limitation of extension, traumatic arthritis of the right knee, residuals, fragment wound of left arm, residual scar, right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2024
- Citation
- A24053892
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 A24053892.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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