The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil is not service connected, as there is no evidence it began in service or within one year of separation and no medical opinion linking it to herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: There is no direct evidence of cancer during service or within a year of separation. The type of cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2010
- Citation
- 1008166
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 1008166.
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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- Remanded (sent back)
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