The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions, including back condition, COPD, artery bypass, prostate cancer, and leukemia. The appeal for TDIU was also dismissed. Service connection for lymphoma due to exposure at Camp Lejeune is granted, as is service connection for the cause of death.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had a diagnosis of lymphoma that is presumed to have been caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his service, and he died from this condition. The disease manifests to a degree of 10 percent or more after service, qualifying under the presumptive exposure criteria for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Claimed conditions
- back condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), artery bypass (claimed as artery blockage), prostate cancer, leukemia
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20010018
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 20010018.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is denied as service connection is not warranted due to the condition being solely attributed to smoking.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, bone cancer, and lymph node cancer has been granted. The prostate cancer is presumed due to herbicide agent exposure during service at RTAFB Takhli. Bone cancer is secondary to the service-connected prostate cancer. Lymph node cancer is also considered secondary to prostate cancer.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
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