The Veteran's leukemia was not service-connected because there is no evidence of exposure to herbicides or other toxins, and the claim cannot be granted based on secondary service connection.
The deciding factor: There is no competent evidence establishing that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides or other toxins during his service at West Point.
- Claimed conditions
- leukemia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 2, 2021
- Citation
- 21011608
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 21011608.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blood cancer, leukemia, eye disorder, myelodysplastic syndrome, and thrombocytopenia due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service. The case is remanded for further development.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's bladder cancer, leukemia, and prostate cancer are not related to his service. The Board found no evidence of toxic exposures or a causal relationship between the conditions and service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for leukemia, thrombocytopenia, and bone marrow transplant with acquired agranulocytosis. The Veteran's Fanconi anemia is not considered a service-connected condition due to its congenital nature. Service connection was also denied for hepatocarcinoma and cirrhosis of the liver.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been received to reconsider the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, leukemia, and prostate cancer. The evidence submitted was cumulative and did not tend to prove or disprove any matters at issue.
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