Lung cancer Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's net worth was no longer a bar to receiving nonservice-connected pension benefits with special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance as of June 1, 2015. Prior to this date, his income and life expectancy were such that it was reasonable to expect him to spend down some part of his net worth for maintenance.

The Board found that the Veteran's tuberculosis did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and any current tuberculosis is not related to service. The lung cancer was also not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, kidney disability, respiratory disability other than lung cancer (including throat cancer), and sleep apnea due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's death was caused by small cell lung cancer, which is presumed to be due to his service in Vietnam and exposure to herbicides. The effective date for DIC benefits and Chapter 35 eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance has been set at November 1, 1991.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim to reopen her service connection claim for cause of death. The underlying issues regarding accrued benefits and TDIU are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's cause of death, COPD, was not service-connected due to direct or presumed exposure. Lung cancer is not established as a result of service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not serve in a location where exposure to herbicides could be presumed, and there is no evidence of actual exposure. The claims for service connection for lung cancer and diabetes are denied as they do not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records from Dr. S.K. and ensuring all outstanding VA medical records are associated with the claims file.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation and his service connection claim for lung cancer. The VA is instructed to obtain all relevant records, including personnel and treatment records from Germany and New Mexico, and seek a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lung cancer.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding possible asbestos exposure and Agent Orange exposure during service, as well as a determination of whether the Veteran's lung cancer resulted from such exposures. The appeal is also remanded to determine if the USS Bordelon was present in inland waterways of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of herbicide exposure and consideration of service connection on a presumptive basis due to burn pit exposure.

The Veteran's lung cancer is being reviewed for service connection, and the VA needs to verify if he was exposed to Agent Orange while aboard USS Francis Hammond in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for the cause of the Veteran's death, as the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether his service-connected PTSD contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and treatment records. The Veteran's cause of death is being evaluated to determine if it was related to his military service.

The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic squamous cell lung cancer, which is presumed to be due to his exposure to Agent Orange during service. Therefore, the cause of death is granted as service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by metastatic lung cancer, which is presumed to have been caused by his in-service exposure to herbicide agents used in support of U.S. military operations in Thailand during the Vietnam era.

The VA medical opinion determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from metastatic lung cancer.

The Veteran's cause of death, lung cancer, was not found to be related to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to non-small cell lung cancer, which the Board found not related to service. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.