The Board has determined that the Veteran's cancer of the left tonsil did not have its onset during active military service or within one year of his discharge from service, and is not etiologically related to service. Therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be established.
The deciding factor: There is no competent evidence showing a direct relationship between the Veteran's current cancer of the left tonsil and his military service, including any presumed herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- cancer of the left tonsil
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2014
- Citation
- 1418353
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 1418353.
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: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and cancer of the left tonsil, both related to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was diagnosed during service with significant threshold shifts, meeting VA criteria for a disability. His cancer of the left tonsil is presumed to be due to his exposure to herbicides.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for cancer of the left tonsil and tongue, which he contends was caused by exposure to herbicide agents during service, is being remanded due to a lack of a VA medical opinion on the nature and etiology of his condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if his cancer of the left tonsil and tongue base is related to service exposure to herbicides. An audiologist will also be asked to review the claims file to assess whether his hearing loss in both ears is due to in-service acoustic trauma.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran seeks service connection for cancer of the left tonsil, which he asserts was caused or aggravated by his exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. The VA has determined that tonsillar cancers are not entitled to coverage under the presumptions because no clear statistical correlation with herbicide exposure has been found. However, an award of service connection based on direct causation is still possible.
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