The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there is no competent medical evidence linking the lung cancer to exposure to asbestos or to a chest X-ray finding in service. The Board also found that the use of tobacco products was more likely the cause of the veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The VA physicians' opinions were against the appellant's claim, suggesting that the veteran's fatal lung cancer was caused by his history of using tobacco for many years by smoking cigarettes.
- Claimed conditions
- Lung cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 24, 2006
- Citation
- 0626474
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 0626474.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's liver, lung, brain, and bone cancers in relation to his service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for COPD, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of death, finding that toxic exposure during service contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was not persuasive evidence linking his lung cancer to his military service.
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.