The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date than January 9, 2017 for service connection of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) due to a clear and unmistakable error. The claim was reopened on January 9, 2017 based on new evidence showing a diagnosis of CLL.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's request to reopen the claim for service connection for CLL was received by VA after the April 2015 denial, which is when the effective date for CLL would have been set if the claim had not been reopened. The Board found that there were no prior unadjudicated claims for service connection for CLL.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20074243
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,990 · Granted: 35% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20074243.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a medical examination regarding the severity of his residuals from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including chronic fatigue. The initial compensable rating for CLL remains denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for CLL, B-cell leukemia, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma on a presumptive basis due to in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran served within the territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam during his active duty.
- Granted
The Veteran's supplemental claim for service connection for sleep apnea, CLL and CFS was granted. The appeal is based on new evidence that reopened the previously denied claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and renal cell carcinoma are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his exposure history.
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