The Veteran died from respiratory arrest and hepatocellular carcinoma. The VA medical opinion stated that his service-connected residuals of right inguinal herniorraphies did not cause or contribute to death, nor was the cause of death related to Agent Orange exposure. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death and there is no evidence linking his hepatocellular carcinoma to military service or Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory arrest, hepatocellular carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 26, 2014
- Citation
- 1443333
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 1443333.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hepatocellular carcinoma, which is secondary to hepatitis C, has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of kidney cancer and liver cancer, finding that no formal or informal claims were filed prior to February 12, 2025.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reconsider the claim for DIC. The AOJ will now review the case in light of all available evidence.
- Granted
The Board has granted the claim of service connection for hepatocellular carcinoma, finding that it was aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.
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