The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking the esophageal cancer to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the appellant did not provide sufficient medical evidence to establish a link between the veteran's fatal adenocarcinoma and his military service or any exposure to Agent Orange.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2000
- Citation
- 0013881
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 0013881.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to metastatic adenocarcinoma, finding that it is causally related to his in-service reflux esophagitis, duodenal ulcer, and hiatal hernia.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate analysis and need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service, specifically his presumed herbicide exposure (including Agent Orange), and his death. The appellant contends that the Veteran died from lung cancer rather than metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's death was caused by metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, which is service-connected. The appellant is therefore granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and established as eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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.