The Board granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, effective from October 23, 1996. The appellant requested an earlier effective date but was denied.
The deciding factor: The effective date could not be earlier than the date of receipt of the claim as per VA regulations and legal precedents.
- Claimed conditions
- oat cell carcinoma of the lung
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2003
- Citation
- 0314421
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 0314421.
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.
- Denied
The Board found that the cause of death, oat cell carcinoma of the lung, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to a service-connected condition. The veteran's mental state did not contribute to his death.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's oat cell carcinoma of the lung is service-connected due to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service, with the presumptive period for respiratory cancers ending on January 29, 1967.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
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.