The Board denied service connection for squamous cell cancer, finding that the evidence did not support a link to military service or herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions were against a causal relationship between the Veteran's head and neck cancer and his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell cancer
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20074149
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,797 · Granted: 20% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20074149.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell cancer and denied the claims for an earlier effective date, service connection for implanted cardiac pacemaker, and several other conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error regarding the adequacy of VA medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for neuropathy, a sinus disability, squamous cell cancer, and COPD due to the need for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell cancer, considering it presumptively related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.
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.