The veteran died due to carcinoma of the bladder with bone and liver metastases. The cause of death is not service-connected, nor can it be attributed to exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides in service.
The deciding factor: Bladder cancer was first demonstrated many years after service separation and there is no evidence that any disorder in service could have contributed to the onset of death or aggravated carcinoma of the bladder.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma of the bladder, bone metastases, liver metastases
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 1, 2006
- Citation
- 0627733
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 0627733.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of January 1, 2009 for the veteran's Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits. The decision was based on the veteran's presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam and the subsequent inclusion of bladder cancer as a presumptive disease.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to renal failure and renal cell carcinoma with metastases, which the Board accepted as listed on his death certificate. The contributing causes were liver metastases. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied because there is no evidence establishing an inservice disease or injury relevant to the cause of death.
- Granted
The Board found that the veteran's renal and bladder cancer is linked to his in-service exposure to carbon tetrachloride, which is considered a direct service connection. The claim was granted.
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