The veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is determined to be service-connected due to exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: A VA examiner linked the veteran's history of inservice exposure to Agent Orange to the upper airway respiratory cancers that he had suffered, including cancer of the tongue base.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2003
- Citation
- 0303139
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 0303139.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of February 1, 2021, for the award of service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and related disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and assigned a 20 percent evaluation, but denied service connection for osteoporosis, spinal stenosis, neurocognitive disorder with Alzheimer's, hypertension, and TDIU.
- Granted
The veteran's claim for service connection of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is granted. The decision was based on evidence showing that the cancer is related to in-service exposures to Agent Orange and asbestos.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, finding that it is likely related to his service-connected major depressive disorder.
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