The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that while he was presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during his service in Vietnam, there is no evidence showing a direct link between his colon cancer and his military service. The appellant argued for lung cancer as the primary site of the cancer, but the Board found insufficient medical evidence to support this claim.
The deciding factor: The Board concluded that while the veteran was presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during his service in Vietnam, there is no direct link between his colon cancer and his military service. The appellant's argument for lung cancer as the primary site of the cancer could not be supported by medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic colon cancer, primary lung carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2003
- Citation
- 0332052
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 0332052.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cause of death was metastatic colon cancer, but the appellant contends it was caused by exposure to ionizing radiation during his service as an X-ray technician. The case is remanded for further development regarding dose estimation and consideration under VA regulations.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be related to service-connected conditions, specifically metastatic colon cancer and coronary artery disease. The Board granted the claim for service connection based on the evidence provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cause of death is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his service-connected conditions and his death. The Board requests a medical opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically in obtaining VA medical records and an adequate medical opinion regarding the cause of death.
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