The Board has determined that the veteran's cause of death, bronchogenic carcinoma and small cell undifferentiated carcinoma, was due to nicotine dependence acquired during his military service. The case is granted.
The deciding factor: The examiner concluded that it is at least as likely as not that the cancer reported in the medical records was due to cigarette smoking or cannot be dissociated from the cigarette smoking, given the veteran's history of long-term cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence acquired during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bronchogenic carcinoma, small cell undifferentiated carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2000
- Citation
- 0031832
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0031832.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information about the Veteran's service in Vietnam. They need to obtain his personnel records and determine if he served on any ships within the 12 nautical mile territorial waters of Vietnam or otherwise served in the Republic of Vietnam.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for initial compensable disability ratings for bronchogenic carcinoma and surgical scars are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a DRO hearing.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death and denied the claim for nonservice-connected death pension due to lack of qualifying service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his bronchogenic carcinoma to his military service. The Board considered various medical opinions and noted that the most competent evidence attributed the cancer to the Veteran's history of smoking.
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