The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to hepatic cancer, finding that there was no evidence linking it to his presumed Agent Orange exposure during service.
The deciding factor: The April 2008 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's fatal hepatocellular carcinoma was not caused by or the result of Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatic cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2010
- Citation
- 1003524
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1003524.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA rating decision did not properly address the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his cause of death, specifically regarding exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. The matter is being remanded for further review.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's hepatitis C, which was incurred in service and contributed to his fatal hepatic cancer, caused or substantially contributed to his death. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The veteran died of hepatic cancer due to liver cirrhosis, which is believed to have resulted from hepatitis C. The cause of the veteran's hepatitis C and resulting conditions are unclear, as no specific risk factors or exposures were identified.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the cause of death (hepatic cancer, gastric ulcer, and minimal PTB) was not related to service-connected conditions or any presumptive exposure. The claim for service connection for the cause of death was denied.
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.