The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma), lung disability (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema), and prostate disability is granted due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. However, the claims are denied as there is no evidence of record linking these disabilities to service or a service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's skin cancers (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and lung disabilities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema) were not shown during his period of active duty, nor are they conditions for which presumptive service connection may be granted based on Agent Orange exposure. The prostate disability was also not shown during service or within a year post-service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disability, skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma), lung disability (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema), prostate disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20000183
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,812 · Granted: 30% (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 20000183.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for miscarriage, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right elbow disability due to insufficient examination opinions and incomplete service history verification.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as these issues have been addressed in a separate docket.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. Service connection is being remanded for the lumbar spine disability and right knee and calf disabilities.
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