The Board finds that VA treatment caused or hastened the veteran's death due to stomach cancer, which was not detected in its early stages and resulted from a delay in diagnosis. The decision grants DIC benefits.
The deciding factor: Competent clinical opinions establish that the failure of VA to provide standard medical diagnostic follow-up for the veteran's stomach symptoms prior to his death caused or hastened the fatal consequences of his stomach cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastric Irritation, Ulcer, Gastritis, Stomach Cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2000
- Citation
- 0012478
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 0012478.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, Barrett's esophagus, and obstructive sleep apnea but dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for several conditions, including unspecified depressive disorder, right and left hand tremors, GERD, IBS, gastritis, chronic sinusitis, dermatosis of the arms, hands, and feet, bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral tinea pedis, and a lumbar spine disability. The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for TBI and a compensable rating for migraine headaches.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple acquired psychiatric and physical disabilities, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted individual unemployability from November 28, 2012, due to his service-connected disabilities.
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