The Board has denied the claim for service connection for cause of death due to lack of evidence showing a relationship between the Veteran's service and his cause of death, which was metastatic rectal cancer. The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that any service-connected disability caused or contributed to the Veteran’s death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran’s colorectal cancer was related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, and there is no other competent medical evidence linking the cause of death to service.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic rectal cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19158442
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 19158442.
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 decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to fire suppression chemicals during service, which may be related to his cause of death.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease, which may have contributed to his cause of death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that the Veteran's causes of death were acute myeloid leukemia and metastatic rectal cancer, and neither hypertension nor coronary artery disease caused or contributed to his death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that metastatic rectal cancer was not related to in-service toxic exposures or otherwise related to service.
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