The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, which is not service-connected due to lack of presumptive service connection for esophageal cancer based on herbicide exposure. The cause of death was therefore not attributable to a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: Esophageal cancer has not been recognized as associated with herbicide exposure in Vietnam, and the Veteran's fatal condition did not arise from any service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2014
- Citation
- 1429012
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 1429012.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, which was aggravated by his exposure to Agent Orange during military service, is the cause of his death. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by, or substantially or materially contributed to by, a disability incurred in or aggravated by his active service. The cause of the Veteran's death (metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus) is not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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