Lung cancer decisions — 2022

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service, specifically while aboard the USS Tawakoni in Da Nang harbor, contributed to his lung cancer and subsequent death.

The Board denied service connection for lung cancer, acute renal failure, end stage liver disease, and diabetes mellitus as these conditions are not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory and neurological disabilities. The VA is instructed to obtain a more complete medical opinion from an appropriately qualified examiner.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of metastatic lung cancer with right lower lobectomy residuals and a post-operative back scar due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot because he is already receiving a combined schedular rating of 100% and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lung cancer was related to exposure to Camp LeJeune contaminated water. The case will be reviewed with a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death, specifically related to asbestos exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disorder, including lung scarring and cancer, as due to exposure to asbestos and/or herbicide agents. The evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's lung cancer and his military service or any claimed exposures.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for another medical opinion regarding the Veteran's small-cell lung cancer, which may be related to service exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lung cancer metastatic from thyroid is granted, with an effective date of April 9, 2017. The Board found that the evidence supported a finding that the condition arose prior to this date.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for residuals of rectal cancer, lung cancer, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy must be remanded due to inadequate development regarding potential chemical exposure in service.

The appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Thailand established presumptive service connection for lung cancer.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for lung cancer due to asbestos exposure, as it was not adequately addressed in the previous VA examination and opinion.

The Board denied DIC benefits based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of evidence supporting herbicide exposure during service in Korea, and thus no service connection could be established.

Service connection for lung cancer is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for heart disorder, ischemic heart disease and endocarditis is denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 15, 2014 for the service-connected acquired psychiatric disability is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a colon cancer disability, lung cancer disability (secondary to colon cancer), and respiratory disability (secondary to colon cancer) are remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing their etiology.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, sciatic nerve disability, and hepatitis C disability is not addressed in this decision.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, lung cancer for purposes of accrued benefits, and surgical excision of a left breast mass for purposes of accrued benefits due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's lung cancer status post left upper lobectomy is currently rated as non-compensable. The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition and to clarify pulmonary function testing results.