The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder was denied in September 2011 due to lack of evidence showing the condition was incurred or aggravated by service. The claim has been reopened based on new and material evidence submitted since then.,Service connection for pancreatic cancer as due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is granted, with a VA physician's opinion concluding that the Veteran’s cancer was caused by such exposure.,The Veteran's claims for chronic headaches, residuals of a stroke, and obstructive sleep apnea secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder are all denied.,A remand has been ordered for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).,Service connection for pancreatic cancer is granted as the Veteran's condition had its onset during active service.
The deciding factor: The new evidence submitted since September 2011 includes a VA physician’s opinion concluding that the Veteran's pancreatic cancer was caused by water exposure at Camp Lejeune, and that it was service-related.,Service connection is granted based on the Veteran's condition having its onset during active service.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine disorder, pancreatic cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20003681
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,549 · Granted: 29% (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 20003681.
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 cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a disability incurred or aggravated in service, and the Board denied the claim for service connection.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that side effects from prescribed medications contributed substantially and materially to his accidental motorcycle collision resulting in fatal injuries.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the appeal for accrued benefits and has remanded the issue of service connection for cause of death, as there was a duty to assist error related to obtaining a medical nexus opinion regarding in-service herbicide agent exposure.
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