The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to a malignant lymphoma that was not linked to his military service or exposure to herbicides. The underlying cause of death, which is also non-service connected, does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The fatal lymphoma was not shown to be related to any incident in service and no evidence supports a presumption based on Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant lymphoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2002
- Citation
- 0210846
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 0210846.
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 has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death from malignant lymphoma and uremia, which may be related to service in Camp Lejeune.
- Dismissed
The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for service connection of malignant lymphoma, and the Board has dismissed it.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for malignant lymphoma, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and depression. The Board found no current diagnosis of malignant lymphoma or IVDS, and concluded that there was not enough evidence to link the Veteran's depression to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for malignant lymphoma, including as due to ionizing radiation exposure, is being remanded for further action by the Under Secretary for Health to determine if he was exposed to ionizing radiation during his military service.
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.