The Veteran's death was attributed to respiratory failure, pleural effusion, malignant lung metastasis and gastric cancer. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for gastric cancer as a result of military service or exposure.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence linking the Veteran’s gastric cancer to his military service or any known risk factors.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastric Cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2012
- Citation
- 1204026
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1204026.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a bilateral eye disorder, gastric cancer (due to herbicide exposure), low back disorder, gastrointestinal disorder (Crohn’s disease), and hypertension due to incomplete development of evidence.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for denying service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death based on a November 2003 Agent Orange Examination. The claim is now being reviewed with an independent medical expert.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus caused or contributed to his death from gastric cancer.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, including those potentially linked to Agent Orange exposure or radiation. The cause of death was attributed to gastric cancer and COPD, which were not shown to be related to service.
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.