The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer residuals and a heart disorder, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service, specifically his exposure to burn pits during his time stationed in Germany and Aberdeen, Maryland.
The deciding factor: The Board found statements from the Veteran and his buddy indicating in-service chemical exposure in burn pits to be credible and competent, thus finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the conditions are related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- lung cancer residuals, heart disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2021
- Citation
- 21010648
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 21010648.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, to include ischemic heart disease (IHD), finding that there was not sufficient evidence to establish a link between his current condition and his military service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not have active military service from January 9, 1962, to July 31, 1980, and that he was not exposed to herbicide agents during his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left hip disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, heart disorder, insomnia, sexual arousal disorder, gynecological disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and HTN. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions or their relationship to military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and a heart disorder due to insufficient examination opinions and failure to consider potential exposure to diesel fumes during service.
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