The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the left base of the tongue was not manifest in service or to a degree of 10 percent within one year of service separation, and is unrelated to any incident of service origin, including Agent Orange exposure. The Board denies service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the left base of the tongue either manifested in service or is otherwise related to an event in service, including Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the left base of the tongue
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2009
- Citation
- 0917996
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 0917996.
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).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, squamous cell carcinoma of the left base of the tongue, is found to be related to his military service. The appellant is granted burial benefits as her husband's death was service-connected.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board found that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service, and granted service connection for this condition. The Board also found that damage to the saliva glands and taste buds are secondary to the service-connected squamous cell carcinoma.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. Service connection claims related to squamous cell carcinoma of the left base of the tongue, damage to the saliva glands, and damage to the taste buds are pending.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the left base of the tongue, including as a result of exposure to herbicides, is being remanded due to scheduling issues.
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