The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected as his death certificate shows that the immediate cause of his death was chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and there is no evidence to support exposure to herbicide agents or other conditions related to service.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence showing the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service or that his cause of death was due to disability incurred in or aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20006441
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (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 20006441.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia has been dismissed because there is no valid June 2021 rating decision to appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's exposure to contaminants at Camp Pendleton and his current condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD, CLL, NHL, Crohn's disease, Type II diabetes mellitus, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Splenomegaly, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and conducting necessary examinations.
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