The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death, metastatic gastroesophageal carcinoma with lung and liver metastases, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The appellant could not establish exposure to ionizing radiation during service, and there is no evidence linking the cancer to a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the veteran's fatal cancer did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to exposure to ionizing radiation in service or as a result of a service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic gastroesophageal carcinoma, lung metastases, liver metastases
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 2, 2001
- Citation
- 0112558
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 0112558.
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 granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma was related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to a lack of evidence linking the Veteran's colon cancer, which metastasized to his liver, to his military service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's colon cancer was caused by CLCW exposure.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, including his colon/rectum cancer and lung metastases, was caused by exposures to toxic chemicals during service. Service connection for cause of death is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to conflicting medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's kidney cancer is presumed related to exposure at Camp Lejeune, but an earlier effective date may be warranted based on specific facts of his case.
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.