The Board found that MDS did not have onset during active service, was not caused or aggravated by exposure to herbicides in service, and was not otherwise caused by active service. As a result, the claim for service connection for MDS is denied.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided were against a finding of direct service connection due to lack of evidence linking MDS to the Veteran's period of service or any exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2016
- Citation
- 1611754
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 1611754.
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: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for hypertension and a higher disability evaluation for MDS, as well as remanded service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Prostate Cancer, Thyroid Cancer, and Parkinson's Disease based on new and relevant evidence of exposure to toxic chemicals during active service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain a TERA analysis and potentially an opinion regarding the Veteran's AML or MDS as it may be related to toxic exposure during service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, which was due to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
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