The Board denied service connection for postoperative residuals of nasopharyngeal cancer and coronary artery disease with hypertension, finding no evidence of in-service incurrence or a link to service. The Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange was not considered due to lack of evidence of service in the Republic of Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is insufficient evidence to establish an in-service event or diagnosis for either condition and thus could not presume service connection based on herbicide exposure. Additionally, no direct link between current conditions and service was established.
- Claimed conditions
- postoperative residuals of nasopharyngeal cancer, coronary artery disease with hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2014
- Citation
- 1423142
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 1423142.
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: Dismissed
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- Whole decision: Denied
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- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed due to the appellant's death, and no effective date prior to May 5, 2015 for the 100 percent evaluation of hypertensive heart disease (previously rated as coronary artery disease with hypertension) can be granted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 30 percent rating for service-connected diabetic nephropathy from February 3, 2004 is granted. The appeals for increased ratings for coronary artery disease with hypertension and more than a 10 percent rating for service-connected diabetic retinopathy are remanded.
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