The Veteran's cause of death, paraneoplastic syndrome and adenocarcinoma of the throat, was not service-connected as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. The Board found that neither condition had onset during service or within one year after separation from service, nor could it be presumed due to exposure to Agent Orange. Additionally, the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to the cause of the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- paraneoplastic syndrome, adenocarcinoma of the throat
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2011
- Citation
- 1137844
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 1137844.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected lung cancer results in loss of use of the upper extremities, meeting the criteria for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the loss of use of a hand or foot resulting from his service-connected paraneoplastic syndrome. Further development, including an addendum opinion, is required.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to paraneoplastic syndrome and poorly differentiated carcinoma, metastatic to the nodes and biliary system. The Board found that these conditions were not related to his service or exposure to ionizing radiation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of the claim for service connection for cause of death, including a dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health and review by the Under Secretary for Benefits.
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