The Board denied service connection for residuals of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue, to include as due to herbicide exposure, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to active service or herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA physicians provided medical opinions concluding that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue was not related to his military service or herbicide exposure. The opinion relied on the fact that squamous cell carcinoma is not listed among diseases presumptively associated with herbicide exposure under applicable regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue, dysphagia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19105996
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for dysphagia and remanded the claims for residuals from a colon tumor, gallbladder removal, papillary urethral carcinoma, and heart disability due to potential exposure to herbicide agents and ionizing radiation.
- Granted
The Veteran's dysphagia, diaphragmatic hernia without obstruction or gangrene, and GERD were granted a 30 percent rating from June 30, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands all service connection claims for additional development, including obtaining a TERA memorandum and new medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, deviated nasal septum, and kidney stones while denying service connection for hearing loss, dyspepsia, left thumb ganglion, right wrist pain, left wrist pain, and allergic rhinitis. The Board also granted an increased rating of 30 percent for tension headaches.
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