The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer and metastatic bone disease as secondary to the service-connected lung cancer. Service connection for esophageal cancer is denied, and service connection for the cause of death (lung cancer) is granted.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted based on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents during service in Thailand, which included lung cancer and metastatic bone disease as secondary to lung cancer. Service connection for esophageal cancer was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or presumed herbicide exposure. The cause of death (lung cancer) is considered a principal cause.
- Claimed conditions
- lung cancer, metastatic bone disease, esophageal cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20022321
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 20022321.
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 claim for a higher evaluation of his service-connected chronic fatigue and weakness due to chemotherapy and radiation treatment for lung cancer is granted, with an evaluation of 60 percent.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residuals of lung cancer from May 1, 2005 is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's lung cancer and its relationship to service, including any in-service granuloma.
- Dismissed
The Board has vacated its decisions granting service connection for lung cancer and remanding issues of tinnitus and TDIU, but the Veteran's death means these appeals are dismissed.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death due to esophageal cancer, which is presumed to be related to exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.
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