The Board found that the Veteran's colon cancer is not presumed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam, and thus denied the claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: The Secretary of VA has not specifically determined a positive association between herbicide exposure and colon cancer. The Veteran did not serve within the land borders of Vietnam or other pertinent service where herbicides were used, so he is not presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange during his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- colon cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 13, 2009
- Citation
- 0913760
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 0913760.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and its relation to service. The Veteran's atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and colon cancer are being evaluated for their relationship to toxic exposure during service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for colon cancer and liver cancer is granted due to the relationship between his in-service toxic exposures, including burn pits. His liver cancer was found to be related to his now service-connected colon cancer.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer, finding that his current diagnosis of colon cancer is related to toxic exposures in service and resolving any reasonable doubt in his favor.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnosis and his military service, including any conceded exposure to toxic substances.
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