The Veteran's death was determined to be due to cancer of the lungs, which is presumed service-connected based on herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise and granted DIC benefits.
The deciding factor: The VA environmental physician provided an opinion linking oropharyngeal cancer to Agent Orange exposure, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant.
- Claimed conditions
- cancer of the lungs, oropharyngeal cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 2, 2014
- Citation
- 1438907
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 1438907.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for oropharyngeal cancer, finding that it is not related to his in-service exposure and instead caused by his long-term tobacco use.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's oropharyngeal cancer with soft palate reconstruction is granted service connection, and the claim for a dental disability secondary to this condition is remanded.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for oropharyngeal cancer, cervical node involvement of cancer, and loss of taste on a direct basis due to Agent Orange exposure. A rating of 60 percent was assigned for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the Veteran's TDIU claim was also granted.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for oropharyngeal cancer due to a need for a new medical opinion addressing the Veteran's toxic exposures and alcohol abuse as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.
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