The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils was not present during service or for many years thereafter, and was not caused by any incident of service. The Board finds that there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between his current condition and his military service.
The deciding factor: There is no credible evidence showing exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicide agents during service, nor does the Veteran have competent medical evidence linking his current squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils to his period of active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 14, 2017
- Citation
- 1739168
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 1739168.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils, including residual loss of voice and required use of feeding tube, to obtain a supplemental medical opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils has been granted, and a VA examination is required to determine its etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils is granted. The claims for service connection for secondary conditions are remanded due to a lack of medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils and tongue is related to his service, specifically exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.
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