The Veteran died of metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer and was not receiving VA compensation or pension benefits at the time of his death. Therefore, he is ineligible for nonservice-connected burial benefits.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not meet the eligibility criteria for VA burial benefits as he was not in receipt of VA service-connected or nonservice-connected benefits at the time of his death and had no pending claims for such benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2010
- Citation
- 1000747
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 1000747.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there is no evidence linking his metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer or hypertension to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer, which is considered a new and material condition based on evidence not previously submitted. The Board found that this cancer was likely caused by herbicide exposure during active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further action on the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, including obtaining missing medical records and providing a medical opinion regarding the etiology of hypertension and metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer, is presumed to be related to radiation exposure during his service in Enewetak Atoll.
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.