The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer, which is considered a new and material condition based on evidence not previously submitted. The Board found that this cancer was likely caused by herbicide exposure during active duty service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant must be resolved in her favor due to the lack of medical literature supporting the claim, which included a recent journal article published after the May 2019 opinion but not available at the time.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20020275
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 20020275.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there is no evidence linking his metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer or hypertension to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further action on the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, including obtaining missing medical records and providing a medical opinion regarding the etiology of hypertension and metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer, is presumed to be related to radiation exposure during his service in Enewetak Atoll.
- Denied
The Veteran died from metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. The Board found no evidence to support a causal connection between the Veteran's death and his active service, including his cervical spine disability, PTSD, or diabetes mellitus.
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