The veteran's cause of death, carcinomatosis with the gallbladder as the primary site, is presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam. The VA has determined that he had a service-connected disability (PTSD and shell fragment wound residuals) which was not the principal or contributory cause of his death.
The deciding factor: The veteran's fatal cancer was found to be associated with Agent Orange exposure, and his service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinomatosis, sarcomatoid carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 23, 2004
- Citation
- 0416475
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 0416475.
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
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The Board granted service connection for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the conditions are related to in-service herbicide agent exposure.
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