The Veteran's death was due to cerebral vascular disease, with a significant contributing condition being his service-connected TBI. The Board granted DIC benefits for the cause of death but denied DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 as he did not meet the requirement of having been in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation for a service-connected disability rated totally disabling for at least 10 consecutive years immediately preceding his death.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's TBI was found to be related to military service and contributed substantially to his death, meeting the criteria for service connection under direct theory. However, he did not meet the requirement of having been in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation for a service-connected disability rated totally disabling for at least 10 consecutive years immediately preceding his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26007802
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 A26007802.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 27, 2019 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no earlier claim document in the claims file and the Veteran did not timely perfect an appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as a result of military sexual trauma (MST) that occurred during service. The Board found the Veteran's testimony and supporting evidence credible, including her VA and private treatment records.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its residuals, including unsteady gait, somnolence, and cognitive dysfunction. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements about in-service head injuries and subsequent seizures.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and therefore, service connection for TBI is denied.
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