The Veteran's gastrointestinal stromal tumor and soft tissue sarcoma are presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service. Service connection is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnosis of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor and soft tissue sarcoma, including malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor with metastasis to the liver, is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, Soft Tissue Sarcoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2015
- Citation
- 1546743
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 1546743.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for soft tissue sarcoma, respiratory cancer, prostate cancer, and multiple melanoma are dismissed. The rating in excess of 10 percent for diabetes mellitus is denied. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is also denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral knee and ankle disorders, liver failure, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, respiratory cancer, and soft tissue sarcoma. The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's gastrointestinal stromal tumor and its treatment are the primary focus of these claims. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical records, including VA and non-VA treatment records, and to provide an updated opinion regarding the potential relationship between the Veteran’s 2009 diagnosis and treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumor and his claimed disabilities.
- Denied
The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his active military service, including exposure to herbicides. The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that any current disability was incurred or aggravated by service.
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