The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, including as a result of exposure to Agent Orange, and also denied service connection for colon cancer with metastasis to the liver. The claims were based on direct evidence rather than presumptions.
The deciding factor: The claim was not well-grounded because there was no medical evidence linking the veteran’s inservice gastrointestinal complaints to his later diagnosed colon cancer or its metastasis to the liver.
- Claimed conditions
- colon cancer with metastasis to the liver
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 6, 2000
- Citation
- 0005952
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 0005952.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for colon cancer with metastasis to the liver, finding that there was no evidence linking it to service or service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's colon cancer with metastasis to the liver, specifically whether it is related to military service or caused by his service-connected diabetes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for colon cancer with metastasis to the liver due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is not considered.
- Denied
The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for colon cancer with metastasis to the liver, as claimed due to radiation exposure. The opinion provided by the private physician was deemed too speculative and inconclusive.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.