The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death, carcinoid, was not related to his service or any service-connected disability. The Board also determined there was no evidence linking the gastrointestinal symptoms he experienced during service to his later diagnosed pancreatic cancer.
The deciding factor: The VA physician concluded that the in-service complaints did not provide adequate support for a relation between the Veteran's gastrointestinal symptoms and his later diagnosed pancreatic cancer, which caused his death.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoid, pancreatic carcinoma with liver metastases, metastatic neuroendocrine tumor
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2014
- Citation
- 1419162
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 1419162.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death, specifically whether the Veteran's metastatic cancer was related to his service-connected herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and denied DIC benefits under Section 1318. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran’s service-connected conditions caused or contributed to his cancer, which resulted in his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to establish service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to a metastatic neuroendocrine tumor, and remands the case for further development including obtaining an independent medical opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic neuroendocrine tumor, is found to be related to his presumed in-service exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange). Service connection for the cause of death is granted.
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