The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a reopening of the claim and that the Veteran likely had exposure to liver flukes in Vietnam which contributed to his cholangiocarcinoma.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new medical treatise articles and testimony identified potential risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma, including exposure to raw freshwater fish while serving in Vietnam. The Board also considered the Veteran's service record of infectious hepatitis and his recreational fishing activities which increased the likelihood of consuming contaminated fish.
- Claimed conditions
- cholangiocarcinoma
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2011
- Citation
- 1144474
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 1144474.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cholangiocarcinoma is related to his military service, specifically exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam. After considering all evidence and resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran, the Board granted service connection for cholangiocarcinoma.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death is due to cholangiocarcinoma, which was diagnosed in 1988 and presumed to be caused by herbicide exposure during service. The appellant filed a DIC application on November 27, 1989, and the claim was granted with an effective date of November 27, 1989.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for colitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and cholangiocarcinoma as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected vitiligo.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for cholangiocarcinoma and has remanded the service connection claim for further development.
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