The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma on the base of the tongue is granted service connection due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's osteoradionecrosis is also granted service connection as it is related to his service-connected squamous cell carcinoma.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner provided a highly probative opinion linking the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma on the base of the tongue to his herbicide exposure in service, and the private physician concurred. The osteoradionecrosis was found to be related to the service-connected squamous cell carcinoma.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma on the base of the tongue, osteoradionecrosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 21, 2015
- Citation
- 1535836
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 1535836.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for osteoradionecrosis, bilateral eye disability (including cataracts and glaucoma), and bilateral hearing loss. It also granted a 10% rating for hypertension, a 50% rating for chronic sinusitis with rhinitis, and a 100% rating for lymphedema. The Board denied compensable ratings for the residuals of squamous cell carcinoma of the left tonsil and neck.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma on the base of the tongue was denied service connection as it is not related to his military service, including herbicide exposure and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma on the base of the tongue was not incurred in service, cannot be presumed to have been incurred therein due to herbicide exposure, and is not related to a service-connected disability. The appeal is denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's osteoradionecrosis is rated at 100 percent, rendering the issue of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability moot.
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