The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a malignant neoplasm of the hypopharynx, finding that his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam played a significant etiological role in his development of this condition. The benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine was applied due to the evidence being in equipoise.
The deciding factor: The opinion from Dr. Bash established an etiological relationship between the Veteran's fatal case of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and his conceded exposure to Agent Orange in service, thereby establishing a nexus between the claimed disease and the late Veteran's period of active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant neoplasm of the hypopharynx
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 17, 2012
- Citation
- 1228417
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 1228417.
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.
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