The Board denied service connection for pancreatic insulinoma and metastatic liver cancer as due to exposure to ionizing radiation, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against the claim.
The deciding factor: The small level of exposure to ionizing radiation during service was unlikely to have resulted in the Veteran's diagnoses of pancreatic insulinoma and liver cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- pancreatic insulinoma, metastatic liver cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Ionizing radiation
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2020
- Citation
- A20016714
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A20016714.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and potential errors in legal standards. The claims will be reconsidered with new opinions addressing the etiology of the Veteran's colon cancer, including its relationship to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that his metastatic liver cancer was at least as likely as not related to exposure to herbicides during active service. The decision is based on a private medical opinion supporting this conclusion.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error regarding service connection for cause of death. An addendum opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's cancer is related to in-service herbicide exposure.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for colon cancer and metastatic liver cancer due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active service in Vietnam.
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