The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the neck and base of tongue, finding that it was not caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinion found that the Veteran’s squamous cell carcinoma was less likely than not caused by his exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune due to other risk factors such as smoking and HPV infection.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the neck and base of tongue
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20062165
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 20062165.
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).
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- Whole decision: Granted
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