The veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest with underlying causes of acute tubular necrosis and leukemia. The VA physician concluded that the leukemia, which contributed to his death, was a result of exposure to benzene during service.
The deciding factor: The VA physician opined that it was at least as likely as not that the veteran's fatal leukemia developed due to his exposure to benzene during military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute tubular necrosis, Leukemia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2003
- Citation
- 0306053
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,582 · Granted: 32% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0306053.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and Leukemia have prevented him from obtaining or maintaining employment, leading to a grant of TDIU.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in duty to assist and needs additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's leukemia.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death was related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and whether it is at least as likely as not that the causes were proximately due or aggravated by service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for leukemia, finding that his exposure to radiation during Operation Sandstone qualifies him as a presumptive radiation-exposed veteran and thus meeting the criteria for service connection.
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