The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of death due to new and material evidence, but finds that neither otitis externa nor herbicide exposure in Vietnam caused or contributed substantially to the Veteran's glioblastoma multiforme.
The deciding factor: The VA opinions indicate that otitis externa did not contribute to the cause of death, and there is no direct causal relationship between otitis externa and glioblastoma multiforme. The examiner also noted conflicting evidence regarding whether herbicide exposure in Vietnam caused or contributed to the Veteran's glioblastoma.
- Claimed conditions
- otitis externa, glioblastoma multiforme
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 28, 2016
- Citation
- 1616990
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 1616990.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted an effective date of [REDACTED], 2009, for the award of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to exposure to herbicide agents during service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to glioblastoma multiforme, which is related to his military service. The Board found that the Veteran's glioblastoma was caused by his in-service exposure to herbicide agents while serving in Vietnam.
- Denied
The Veteran's glioblastoma, which caused his death, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his in-service herbicide exposure or any other aspect of his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and entitlement to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service onset or association with service, and concluded that the Veteran's current sleep apnea is not related to his PTSD. For the TDIU claim, the Board determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing and maintaining gainful employment.
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