The Board found that the cause of death, metastatic adenocarcinoma, was not related to service-connected PTSD or any other service connection. The Veteran's smoking history is noted but does not appear to be linked to his service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: A VA physician concluded that the Veteran’s fatal adenocarcinoma was likely due to extensive smoking rather than service-connected PTSD, and there was no evidence linking smoking cessation difficulties to PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic adenocarcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 10, 2010
- Citation
- 1042458
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 1042458.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his exposure to asbestos during active duty was a contributing factor.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's metastatic adenocarcinoma is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. As a result, service connection for this condition is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an open medical question regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes was a contributory factor in his death, and for obtaining an opinion from an oncologist on this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in its decision and the need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's alcohol use disorder and service-connected disabilities.
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