The Board denied the claim for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1310 based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as well as the claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that any service-connected disability caused or contributed to the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- Metastatic melanoma to the lymph nodes and spleen, Liver failure from metastasis, Acute kidney injury, Abscess of the right axilla
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2024
- Citation
- A24065533
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions and relevant treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for cause of death to correct a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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