The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary metastasis, and colon carcinoma were not related to his military service or any other incident therein.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence linking the veteran's death-causing disorders to his military service or exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam service.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary metastasis, colon carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 24, 2003
- Citation
- 0317479
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 0317479.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a respiratory insufficiency and an increased rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder, and remanded the claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for GERD and hearing loss, right ear, but denied service connection for lumbar spine pain, radicular pain and paresthesia of the lower extremities, allergic rhinitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, functional abdominal pain syndrome, restless leg syndrome, tremors of the hands, respiratory insufficiency, chronic headaches, left ankle sprain, and right ankle sprain.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and an initial 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while denying service connection for fibromyalgia, respiratory insufficiency, tension headaches, TMJ/TMD, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and a scar associated with the right knee.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for respiratory insufficiency and functional abdominal pain syndrome, but granted a 70 percent rating for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress and melancholic features from March 11, 2022.
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.