The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death due to metastatic cholangiocarcinoma and diabetes mellitus. The evidence received since the April 2000 RO decision includes VA outpatient treatment records, private medical treatment records, a letter from Dr. Cassidy, and a March 2006 VA medical opinion. This new evidence relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim (the relationship between Agent Orange exposure and the development of these conditions).
The deciding factor: The Board found that the submitted evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection due to Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic cholangiocarcinoma, diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2007
- Citation
- 0739424
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 0739424.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Veteran's Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular Aid and Attendance is granted as of April 25, 2024.,For diabetes mellitus, a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.
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