The Board has determined that the Veteran's throat cancer is at least as likely as not related to his service, specifically his participation in Operation TEAPOT, a radiation risk activity. As such, the claim for service connection for carcinoma of the larynx due to ionizing radiation exposure is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran participated in an operation that involved a high-risk of radioactive exposure and it is likely that his throat cancer was caused by this exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma of the larynx
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20049170
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 20049170.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for carcinoma of the larynx was dismissed due to failure to comply with claims processing rules. The claim for hypertension was remanded for a VA medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inaccuracies in the exposure report and a need for further research into the Veteran's claimed exposures. The Veteran is seeking service connection for throat cancer, but his claims are being held up because of discrepancies in his military records regarding his alleged exposure to chemical or biological agents.
- Granted
The Veteran's carcinoma of the larynx, heart disability (including IHD, PVD, and dyslipidemia), and diabetes mellitus type II are granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.
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