The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be due to intracranial hemorrhage, which is not service-connected. The Board denied retroactive benefits for myelogenous leukemia as it was not a disease presumed by herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The August 2011 VA opinion concluded that the Veteran's leukemia (AML) was not B-cell lymphocytic leukemia and therefore did not meet the criteria for service connection under Nehmer v. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Claimed conditions
- myelogenous leukemia, intracranial hemorrhage due to coagulopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2015
- Citation
- 1520100
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 1520100.
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 further development, including obtaining additional VA records and an addendum opinion to clarify the Veteran's diagnosis and provide a nexus opinion regarding service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diabetes and his myelogenous leukemia, which led to his death.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for myelogenous leukemia was denied, while his PTSD was granted a rating of 70 percent. The appeal is mixed as it involves both direct service connection and an increased rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for myelogenous leukemia, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to herbicides.
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