The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no valid diagnosis for multiple myeloma and that his colon cancer and metastasized lung cancer were not related to service or exposure to herbicides.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinions found insufficient evidence of a diagnosis for multiple myeloma and concluded that the Veteran's cause of death was due to metastatic colon cancer, which is not presumed to be related to service or exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- arrhythmia, colon cancer, multiple myeloma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20060716
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 20060716.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 100 percent for service-connected multiple myeloma has been denied. The Board also remanded two issues related to nerve neuropathies, and the claims for TDIU and SMC have been denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for multiple myeloma, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple myeloma and back problems due to a duty to assist error. For multiple myeloma, the Veteran's exposure to asbestos is not verified. For back problems, an addendum opinion is needed to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding her training-related injuries.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and its relation to service. The Veteran's atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and colon cancer are being evaluated for their relationship to toxic exposure during service.
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