The Board has determined that the Veteran's tonsillar cancer, claimed as cancer of the throat and larynx, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence suggesting that the cancer was present in service or until many years thereafter, and there is no competent medical evidence of a nexus between the cancer and the Veteran's active service, including his exposure to herbicides in service.
- Claimed conditions
- tonsillar carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2013
- Citation
- 1327695
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 1327695.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tonsillar carcinoma and for death benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus to service and that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for total disability due to his condition.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the claim for service connection for tonsillar carcinoma, finding that there is no evidence of chronic tonsillar cancer in service or within a presumptive period. The appellant's contention regarding Agent Orange exposure was not supported by the VA medical opinion and other evidence. Service connection cannot be established on direct or presumptive basis.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's tonsillar carcinoma did not occur during service and could not be linked to ionizing radiation exposure. Therefore, service connection for residuals of tonsillar carcinoma was denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board found no evidence linking his causes of death to his military service or herbicide exposure.
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.