The Board found that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue was not incurred or aggravated by service, including exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The opinion provided by L.R-C., a medical officer, concluded it was less likely than not caused by Agent Orange exposure and more likely related to his history of smoking.
The deciding factor: The March 2014 independent medical opinion from L.R-C. determined that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue was less likely due to herbicide exposure, as it was very likely a result of his past smoking history.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 10, 2015
- Citation
- 1509980
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 1509980.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a compensable disability rating for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue and remanded an earlier effective date claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's oral cancer is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue, finding that it is not a respiratory cancer and thus not covered by presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish direct service connection.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to new evidence suggesting a possible link between the condition and his treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of his tongue. The claim for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue is granted based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange.,The Veteran's dental disorder, resulting from radiation treatment for his service-connected squamous cell carcinoma, is also granted.
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