The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), was related to exposure to Opisthorchis viverrini parasites in the food while serving in Southeast Asia. As a result, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found that consuming local fish infested with Opisthorchis viverrini parasites (OVP) during service increased the risk of developing Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and resolved reasonable doubt in favor of the Appellant.
- Claimed conditions
- Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), Opisthorchis viverrini parasites infection
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2017
- Citation
- 1756659
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 1756659.
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 Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to Cholangiocarcinoma and denied Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, finding that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's cancer to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted as his PTSD is now considered service-connected.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left leg disability is reopened, and the appeal is granted.
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