The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma at the base of the tongue is not service-connected, as it was not caused by or related to his military service. The claim for presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish a direct link between the Veteran's current condition and his military service, nor can it be presumed due to herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma at the base of the tongue
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20033712
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 20033712.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about VA's care and potential secondary service connection for prostate cancer. The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck, and tongue is being reviewed for possible direct service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's throat cancer is presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam, but not due to Agent Orange exposure. The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if the cancer may be linked to herbicide exposure and to obtain updated treatment records.
- Denied
The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma and his service, including presumed herbicide exposure or service-connected prostate cancer. The condition was diagnosed many years after discharge.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma at the base of the tongue is being remanded for a determination on whether it is related to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service.
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