The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to polycythemia vera, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by service. The examiner concluded that polycythemia vera is not a presumptive disease related to Agent Orange exposure and did not result from cobalt radiation therapy received during service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no evidence linking the Veteran's polycythemia vera to his in-service exposure to herbicides or to cobalt radiation therapy, concluding that it was not caused by these exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- Polycythemia vera
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19114849
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,642 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19114849.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of August 9, 2022, for the award of service connection for polycythemia vera and remanded claims related to right big toe disability, right knee disability, chronic fatigue, and a compensable evaluation for polycythemia vera.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's lumbar spine disorder, left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve disorders, polycythemia vera, and hand and finger disorders as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, continuity of symptomatology, or a nexus to service.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied a compensable rating for hearing loss but granted a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective February 29, 2016.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, along with other disabilities, has rendered him unemployable in a non-protected work environment. He is granted TDIU and SMC.
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