The Board denied the claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, and eligibility for Chapter 35 educational assistance benefits due to lack of evidence supporting a link between his death and exposure to herbicide agents during active service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no evidence showing the veteran's death was caused by exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Hodgkin's Disease, Type II Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 9, 2008
- Citation
- 0822445
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 0822445.
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 has granted service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Bilateral Lower Extremity Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (Sciatic Nerve), Erectile Dysfunction, and Bladder Cancer in remission. Effective dates have been set for these awards as of July 14, 2004. The Veteran's claim for higher initial disability ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia has been dismissed because there is no valid June 2021 rating decision to appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding obesity as an intermediate step in causing or aggravating these conditions, and because of potential toxic exposure during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for Type II Diabetes Mellitus has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal before the Board could make a decision.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.