Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Board found that the veteran's lung cancer and bone metastases were not related to his military service, and thus denied claims for service connection. The appellant was also not entitled to DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as she did not meet the criteria of having a spouse who had been in receipt of total disability compensation due solely to clear and unmistakable error.

The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was no evidence linking the veteran's fatal lung cancer with bone metastases to his military service, nor could it be presumed due to exposure to herbicides. The appellant did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as she had not applied for compensation or unemployability benefits during her husband's lifetime.

Claimed conditions
lung cancer, bone metastases
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
October 13, 2004
Citation
0428199

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 0428199.

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.

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.