The veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and his residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right thigh with retained foreign bodies do not warrant an increased evaluation.
The deciding factor: There is no competent evidence linking the veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx to his service or any exposure to Agent Orange. The residuals of the shrapnel wound are currently rated as 20 percent disabling, and there is no new evidence presented that would warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, shrapnel and surgical scars of the right thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2001
- Citation
- 0123896
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 0123896.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his military service and the cancer.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx was granted with an effective date of March 31, 2014. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted as the evidence did not support such a finding.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for increased disability rating and service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.
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