The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and specifically ruled out service connection for Hodgkin's lymphoma on the basis of exposure to Agent Orange. The cause of death is listed as terminal Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The deciding factor: Hodgkin's disease was diagnosed over three decades after separation from military service and there is no evidence linking it to service, including presumed exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange.
- Claimed conditions
- Hodgkin's lymphoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2006
- Citation
- 0634916
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 0634916.
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 service connection for Hodgkin's lymphoma, finding that the Veteran was exposed to commercial herbicides and pesticides during her service on Galeta Island in Panama, which contributed to her development of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, asthma disorder, and Hodgkin's lymphoma to correct a pre-decisional error of the duty to assist.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date and a compensable rating for Hodgkin's lymphoma, as the Veteran’s condition has not been actively treated since 2020.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for Hodgkin's lymphoma, hypertension, and Type II diabetes mellitus associated with herbicide agent exposure.
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