The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to be related to his service in Thailand, where he served at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base and was exposed to herbicides. The Board granted service connection for the condition on a presumptive basis.
The deciding factor: The Veteran provided credible testimony that he crossed the air base perimeter while stationed at Udorn RTAFB during his service, which is considered sufficient evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- Prostate cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2020
- Citation
- A20018196
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,480 · Granted: 26% (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 A20018196.
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 Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease is rated at 100% effective October 25, 2024. His prostate cancer residuals are rated at 60% effective October 25, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and prostate cancer are granted service connection, with the latter requiring a VA examination to address exposure to burn pits.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss in the right ear has been denied. The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss and thus, cannot establish a link to service. For prostate cancer, the Veteran's claim is remanded as VA did not provide an opinion regarding whether his condition may be related to service due to toxic exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals prior to January 5, 2026 are rated at 10 percent. From January 5, 2026, the Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating for his prostate cancer residuals. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not compensable.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.