The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his brain cancer was not caused by or contributed to by exposure to herbicide agents (e.g., Agent Orange) during his active service. The Veteran had other service-connected conditions but they were deemed unlikely to have caused or contributed substantially to his death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including diabetes and ischemic heart disease, caused or contributed to his death. Additionally, the examiner determined that the Veteran’s brain cancer was less likely than not due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus (type 2), tinnitus, brain cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2018
- Citation
- 18158164
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 18158164.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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 Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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