The Veteran's claims for service connection for various cancers and a lumbar spine disability have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be established due to lack of in-service disease or injury and no medical evidence linking current disabilities to service, particularly given the presumption against presumptive service connection for diseases associated with herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- colon cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, lumbar spine disability (disc herniation and/or bone cancer), prostate disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20029978
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 20029978.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for intestinal cancer, liver cancer, and a liver biopsy surgical scar as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected intestinal cancer.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of liver cancer has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for liver cancer and an increased rating for irritable bowel syndrome has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
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