The Veteran died of hepatocellular liver cancer, but there is no evidence that the liver disorder was incurred during service or due to herbicide exposure. The Board denied service connection for a liver disability on accrued benefits purposes.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a link between the Veteran's liver disorders and his active duty service or presumed herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatocellular cancer, hepatitis B
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 28, 2015
- Citation
- 1532020
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 1532020.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for hepatitis B and C with chronic fatigue, migraines, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, and chronic cartilage fracture at junction of 10th and 11th right rib complex.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The claim for a higher initial rating for hepatitis B remains denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's cause of death was respiratory failure caused by hepatic failure, hepatocellular cancer, and chronic hepatitis C infection.,Service connection for the cause of death is granted as his alcohol and substance abuse were secondary to his service-connected PTSD.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 60 percent for hepatitis B with cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular cancer, as well as a separate disability rating. The AOJ must obtain a medical opinion to clarify the nature and severity of the Veteran's hepatocellular carcinoma during the entire appellate period on review.
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