The Veteran's cause of death was metastatic stomach cancer, which is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his active service or presumed herbicide exposure. The Board found no direct causation between the Veteran's service-connected conditions (COPD and diabetes) and his metastatic stomach cancer.
The deciding factor: The metastatic stomach cancer was not caused by the Veteran's service, including presumed in-service herbicide exposure, nor did it manifest within one year of separation from service. The service-connected COPD and diabetes were not found to have caused or aggravated the metastatic stomach cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic stomach cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 21, 2015
- Citation
- 1531094
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 1531094.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's prostate and bladder cancers are presumed due to military environmental exposure, specifically Agent Orange. Service connection is granted for these conditions.,The Veteran's colon cancer and metastatic stomach cancer are also presumed due to military environmental exposure, specifically Agent Orange. Service connection is remanded for further review.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the veteran's death from metastatic stomach cancer was not caused by service-connected residuals of hepatitis and did not occur during or until many years following active service. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is denied.
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