The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, and denied the claim. The Board also noted that there was no service-connected disability contributing to the veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The VA medical records do not show nicotine dependence or smoking during active service, and the evidence does not establish a link between any service-connected condition and the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- Cause of Death: Carcinoma of the lung
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2002
- Citation
- 0216350
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 0216350.
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
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.