The Board denied the appellant's service connection claim for the cause of the Veteran's death, claimed as due to radiation exposure, based on a lack of evidence showing that the Veteran participated in atmospheric nuclear tests or that his metastatic colon cancer is related to ionizing radiation exposure in service.
The deciding factor: There was no competent evidence showing that the Veteran participated in atmospheric nuclear tests during active service, and uncontroverted medical opinion indicated it is unlikely that his metastatic colon cancer is related to ionizing radiation exposure in service.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic colon cancer with metastasis to the brain, liver, and lung with hydrocephalus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2009
- Citation
- 0904633
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
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