Lung cancer decisions — 2015

The Veteran died of lung cancer while in a private hospital. The claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits is denied as the Veteran did not meet any criteria for payment.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for ischemic heart disease and lung cancer, both claimed as secondary to in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to confirm the Veteran's presence in Vietnam during his active duty.

The Veteran's death was caused by service-connected salivary gland carcinoma with lung metastasis, and he had pending claims for these conditions. The Board granted DIC benefits based on the presumptive link to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has ordered a remand to determine if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange in Okinawa, Japan and to obtain his terminal hospital records. The appeal is pending until further notice.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and he did not meet the criteria for former Prisoner of War status. Therefore, his cause of death is not considered to be service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case for a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lung disorders, including whether in-service asbestos exposure contributed to his current conditions.

The Board denied service connection for metastatic lung cancer and found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer and reopened the claim of service connection for a cervical spine disorder, with new evidence received since the last denial. The exact nature of the relationship between the Veteran's asbestos exposure during service and his current conditions remains inconclusive.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as chemotherapy induced anaphylactic shock due to metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. The VA determined that the causes were not related to his military service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lung cancer, which was service-connected due to presumed Agent Orange exposure, contributed substantially or materially to his death from multiple-organ system failure. As a result, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development of the claims file to determine the current severity of his service-connected disabilities, including lung cancer with scarring, COPD, chronic bronchitis, peripheral neuropathy of both feet, and polycythemia.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and development of his claims file.

The Veteran's renal cancer and lung cancer are found to be related to his service, specifically his in-service exposure to herbicides. His hypertension is also considered secondary to his renal cancer.

The Veteran's lung cancer in remission with post-surgical residuals of left pneumonectomy has been rated at 60 percent since July 1, 2012.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and lung cancer are granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicides. His erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer, and his brain cancer is secondary to his service-connected lung cancer.

The Veteran's claims for non-small cell lung cancer, diabetes mellitus, type II, mild pedal neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction were all granted with effective dates set at March 20, 2008.,Earlier effective dates are denied as there is no evidence of a prior claim filed by the Veteran before March 20, 2008.

The Veteran's service-connected respiratory disabilities, including post left upper lobectomy lung cancer with emphysema, are not shown to warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to December 4, 2008 and from July 1, 2009.

The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic lung cancer, which is not service-connected. The cause of death and any contributing service-connected condition are unknown.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and his claims for lung cancer and esophageal cancer were denied. His hypertension claim was also denied.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected rheumatic heart disease with residuals of rheumatic valvulitis and mitral incompetency contributed to his death, specifically in relation to blastomycosis that he developed during active duty. The opinion must address whether the blastomycosis had its onset in or was otherwise related to his military service.