Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lung cancer, attributing it to a lack of evidence linking his current condition to his time at Camp Lejeune or any other period of service. The decision also notes that smoking history is considered a significant risk factor for lung cancer.

The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no link between the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and his current diagnosis of lung cancer, given his long-term smoking history.

Claimed conditions
lung cancer
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
Camp Lejeune water
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
September 8, 2020
Citation
20058810

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 20058810.

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.

Free starter guide for your own claim

Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.

We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.

We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.

This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.