The Board has determined that the Veteran's end stage liver cancer-cholangioma, which is presumed to be due to his exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam, was caused by his service-connected conditions and thus warrants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports a relationship between the Veteran's presumed Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam and his developing cholangiocarcinoma, raising a reasonable doubt that the cancer is related to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- end stage liver cancer-cholangioma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2015
- Citation
- 1511337
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1511337.
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 appellant's claim for dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran died from end stage liver cancer-cholangioma. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of his death, alleging that it was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and/or due to VA's failure to properly diagnose and treat gallstones. The Board has remanded the case to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam and his liver cancer.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Whole decision: Granted
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
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