The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected colon cancer, which developed as a result of exposure to herbicides during his period of active service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence established that the Veteran had primary colorectal and lung cancers, both of which were related to his service-connected condition due to Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- colon carcinoma, lung metastasis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 5, 2010
- Citation
- 1012761
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 1012761.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 determined that the Veteran's cause of death is related to service exposure, but further development is needed to obtain his complete SPRs and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his causes of death.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death, including colon carcinoma, kidney metastasis, and bladder cancer, did not result from exposure to herbicide agents or asbestos, and it is not otherwise related to the Veteran's service.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by or contributed to by any service-connected condition, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's cardiac arrest to his service-connected PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inability to make a fully informed decision on the issue of service connection for cause of death, as there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding herbicide exposure. The Veteran's death certificate lists colon carcinoma as the immediate cause of death.
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.