The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils, finding no evidence linking it to his military service or exposure to herbicides. The claim for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was also denied.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a link between the veteran's post-service cancer and his period of active duty in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 31, 2001
- Citation
- 0119709
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 0119709.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils, including residual loss of voice and required use of feeding tube, to obtain a supplemental medical opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils has been granted, and a VA examination is required to determine its etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils is granted. The claims for service connection for secondary conditions are remanded due to a lack of medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils and tongue is related to his service, specifically exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.
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