The Veteran's accrued benefits claim for service connection based on a pending claim of leukemia was denied as there is no evidence that the Veteran had leukemia or myelodysplasia syndrome during his lifetime. The Board found that the Veteran did not have leukemia at the time of death and that myelodysplasia syndrome, while possibly related to service, was not shown to be due to any herbicide or radiation exposure.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish a diagnosis of leukemia in the Veteran's lifetime. Myelodysplasia syndrome is not presumed for service connection based on herbicide or radiation exposure and there is no evidence linking myelodysplasia syndrome to service, including any reported exposure to ionizing radiation.
- Claimed conditions
- myelodysplasia syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2015
- Citation
- 1503884
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 1503884.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for myelodysplasia syndrome to obtain a medical examination and opinion, as the previous VA examination was found inadequate.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for myelodysplasia syndrome, finding that there is no current diagnosis of this condition and thus not meeting the criteria for direct service connection.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for myelodysplasia syndrome, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service or herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for myelodysplasia syndrome and the cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or exposure to herbicides.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.