The Veteran's service connection claim for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) is granted because the evidence supports a finding that his exposure to burn pits during his time in Iraq caused his AML.
The deciding factor: The private physician's opinion supported by the Veteran's own statements regarding his exposure to benzene and burn pits, combined with the VA examiner's acknowledgment of the possibility of direct service connection for partially explained etiology conditions like AML, led to the grant of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19178225
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 various conditions and granted an initial 20 percent rating for right lower extremity deep vein thrombosis, while remanding several other issues.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), was caused by his exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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