The Board denied service connection for CLL and the related secondary disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Guam or elsewhere during service. The Veteran's claim for unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.
The deciding factor: There is insufficient evidence to establish herbicide exposure in Guam or elsewhere during service, which would allow for a presumption of service connection for CLL and its related secondary conditions under 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6).
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Chronic Bronchitis, Pancytopenia, Osteophyte Formations of the Spine, Peripheral Neuropathy of Both Upper Extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2013
- Citation
- 1327733
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 1327733.
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: Denied
The Veteran's claim for separate ratings for chronic bronchitis and obstructive sleep apnea is denied as the disabilities are rated under different diagnostic codes and cannot be combined.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's asthma with chronic bronchitis is rated at a 30 percent rating, effective from the date of this decision.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's CLL is presumed to be related to his service in Thailand due to exposure to herbicide agents, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for CLL and a TDIU is being remanded due to concerns about the adequacy of the December 2023 VA examination and because the RO has not provided explicit notice on the TDIU issue.
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