The veteran's nasopharyngeal cancer, left ear disorder (including middle ear effusion, intermittent tinnitus, ear blockage, and hearing loss), and dry mouth and throat dysphagia were all granted service connection due to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The objective medical evidence demonstrated that it was as likely as not that the veteran's conditions were proximately due to or aggravated by radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer, which itself was presumed to be related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- nasopharyngeal cancer, left ear disorder (including middle ear effusion, intermittent tinnitus, ear blockage, and hearing loss), dry mouth and throat, dysphagia
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2008
- Citation
- 0811586
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,642 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0811586.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 matter for a VA medical opinion to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's nasopharyngeal cancer, including whether it is related to his service or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for nasopharyngeal cancer, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for nasopharyngeal cancer, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether it is related to military service, specifically herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, degenerative disc disease with osteoporosis ('back disability'), and remanded the claim of service connection for nasopharyngeal cancer as due to exposure toxins for the period prior to August 10, 2022.
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