The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, attributing it to astrocytoma of the brain. The evidence did not support a finding that this condition was related to military service or any other compensable exposure.
The deciding factor: There is no medical opinion linking the Veteran’s astrocytoma to his military service or any known risk factors.
- Claimed conditions
- astrocytoma of the brain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 18, 2018
- Citation
- 1803489
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 1803489.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his astrocytoma of the brain was related to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty in Vietnam.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was due to glioblastoma multiforme, a service-connected condition. The Appellant submitted informal claims for DIC based on the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange and his service-connected astrocytoma of the brain. The Board granted an effective date of January 1, 2010, for the award of DIC.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection is granted.,Service connection for PTSD is granted, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by a type of brain cancer that is presumed to be linked to his military service in Southwest Asia, specifically exposure to burn pits. As such, the claim for DIC benefits based on cause of death due to service-connected disability is granted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.