The veteran's cause of death was due to oropharynx cancer, which is not service-connected. The Board found that the cancer did not arise from his military service and there was no evidence linking it to any service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The veteran's oropharynx cancer was not present during service or for many years later, and it is not related to a disease or injury in service or to a service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma of the oropharynx
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2008
- Citation
- 0809461
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0809461.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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