The Veteran's death was caused by carcinoma of the epiglottis, which is not a condition presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam due to exposure to Agent Orange. The RO denied the claim for service connection based on the February 2007 VA compensation examiner's opinion that the cancer originated at the base of his tongue and had metastasized.
The deciding factor: The fatal cancer did not originate during or within one year after service, nor was it related to any condition presumed to be associated with exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma of the epiglottis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 2, 2010
- Citation
- 1020234
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 1020234.
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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- Granted
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of service connection for prostate cancer to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's toxic exposure risk activities.
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