The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is at least as likely as not related to his exposure to herbicides and asbestos during service in Vietnam, granting entitlement to service connection for cause of death.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by Dr. C.K. and the VA examiners supported a causal relationship between the Veteran's exposures to Agent Orange, Agent Blue (with arsenic), and asbestos during his military service and his development of metastatic gastric cancer, which was the cause of his death.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic gastric cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20033324
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 20033324.
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
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: Granted
The Veteran's cause of death is due to diffuse bilateral pneumonia, which was found to be caused by exposure to herbicide agents in Iraq. The gastrointestinal cancer that led to his death is presumed to have been caused by the same exposure. Therefore, service connection for the cause of death is granted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, metastatic gastric cancer, was related to his active-duty service at Camp Lejeune. The benefit of doubt has been applied in favor of the claim.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for metastatic gastric cancer and the cause of death. The Veteran's claims are being returned to VA for additional development, including obtaining medical records and completing a Toxic Exposure Risk Activity (TERA) memorandum.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for metastatic gastric cancer and cause of death due to metastatic gastric cancer, as these issues are intertwined with each other. The claims will be addressed again after obtaining relevant medical records and providing an addendum opinion.
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