The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, renal cell carcinoma and lung cancer, was caused by his in-service exposure to herbicides including Agent Orange.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner could not provide a definitive opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's fatal renal cell cancer without resorting to speculation, but concluded that it is as likely as not related to service due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange.
- Claimed conditions
- Renal cell carcinoma, Lung cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 12, 2013
- Citation
- 1322364
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 1322364.
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 Veteran's headache disability is granted as service-connected. The left foot condition and lung cancer claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his lung cancer and military service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish service connection for lung cancer.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The case is remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's fatal renal cancer, including whether it was caused by exposure to Agent Orange or secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded due to a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the rating decision on appeal. The Board must obtain additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's bladder cancer, which was service-connected as a result of contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune, contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death.
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