The veteran died from advanced cancer of the gastroesophageal junction. The VA did not negligently fail to diagnose or treat this condition, and therefore DIC benefits are denied.
The deciding factor: There was no negligence on the part of the VA in failing to diagnose or treat the veteran's gastroesophageal cancer prior to October 1998.
- Claimed conditions
- Advanced cancer of the gastroesophageal junction, Atrial fibrillation, Lung effusion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 10, 2003
- Citation
- 0304257
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 0304257.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for congestive heart failure with implanted pacemaker, bradycardia, valvular heart disease, and atrial fibrillation, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 100 percent evaluation for coronary artery disease and awarded special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, while denying earlier effective dates for both conditions and an increased rating for atrial fibrillation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for atrial fibrillation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with congestive heart failure to correct an error by the AOJ in satisfying a regulatory or statutory duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board is remanding the claim for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death due to a lack of adequate medical evidence regarding the potential nexus between atrial fibrillation and in-service exposure, as well as other service-connected disabilities.
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