The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied all claims for benefits.
The deciding factor: Service-connected fistula in ano did not contribute to the veteran's death from NHL.
- Claimed conditions
- NHL
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2005
- Citation
- 0507736
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 0507736.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot because he is already receiving a 100% evaluation for his service-connected NHL, and there are no other disabilities independently rated at 60% or more. Additionally, the evidence does not show that he requires aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left varicocele was dismissed due to his request to withdraw the appeal. The Board also remanded issues regarding skin rashes, allergies, and NHL.
- Granted
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for GVHD as secondary to his service-connected NHL, but granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by colon cancer, but his NHL contributed substantially to the cause of death. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.
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