The Veteran's claim for service connection for pancreatic cancer and earlier effective date for coronary artery disease (CAD) is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of direct service connection for pancreatic cancer, which was related to his active duty service, including exposure to herbicides. For the earlier effective date, the Board found that the Veteran's claim for CAD has been pending since June 30, 2014.
The deciding factor: The Board granted service connection for pancreatic cancer based on direct evidence linking it to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicides and found that the earlier effective date for coronary artery disease (CAD) was warranted due to the Veteran's prior informal claims filed before July 18, 2017.
- Claimed conditions
- pancreatic cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18122185
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18122185.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his coronary artery disease.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), hypertension, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected DM II. The Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during active service is presumed.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a disability incurred or aggravated in service, and the Board denied the claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, varicose veins, and irritable bowel syndrome are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding secondary service connection.
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