The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for glioblastoma multiforme and his cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking GBM to his military service or herbicide exposure. The Board also determined that DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 were not warranted.
The deciding factor: The VHA expert opinion concluded that GBM was not related to the Veteran's service, including his herbicide exposure, and there was no evidence of continuous symptoms since service or a compensable degree within one year of service.
- Claimed conditions
- glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19136911
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19136911.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for cause of death to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically to obtain a retrospective medical opinion regarding the Veteran's potential exposure to herbicides and other toxins during service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) disability, finding that it is related to his exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) during his active military service. The decision is based on a private medical opinion provided by Dr. C.K., who concluded that the GBM was likely caused by PCB exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's death and service connection claims due to incomplete evidence, including VA records not submitted during the initial evidentiary window. The appellant is also seeking substitution as claimant for her husband's pending claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for glioblastoma multiforme and cause of death, due to insufficient VA medical records. The case is being sent back for a new medical opinion based on a complete record.
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