The veteran's death was caused by metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, which is not service-connected as it did not occur during his active duty or due to exposure to herbicides. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the cause of death to his period of service.
The deciding factor: The disease causing the veteran's death (metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung) was not present in service and is not considered service-connected based on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents due to lack of service in Vietnam during the designated time period.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2000
- Citation
- 0028896
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 0028896.
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 Veteran's cause of death is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for cause of death due to exposure to Agent Orange while working as an aircraft mechanic in Thailand. However, the case is remanded for further consideration on the merits.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the grant of service connection for cause of the Veteran's death was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, thus restoring service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is granted service connection as it was related to herbicide exposure during service. The claim for a low back disorder remains pending and requires additional development.
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