The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of evidence showing exposure to herbicide agents or other conditions during service, and concluded that lung cancer was not a contributory cause of death.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have documented exposure to herbicide agents or shortness of breath during service, and there is no evidence supporting the claim that he served in the Republic of Vietnam or near the Korean DMZ. Lung cancer was determined not to be a contributory cause of death due to lack of evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Lung Cancer, Aspiration Pneumonia, Coronary Artery Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 3, 2021
- Citation
- A21017759
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 A21017759.
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: Denied
The Veteran's cause of death, lung cancer, was not related to his active duty service and therefore service connection for the cause of death is denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective March 2, 2018, due to his service-connected disabilities including PTSD and other conditions. The decision also noted that the Veteran is currently self-employed as a truck driver.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a heart disability and hypertension due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ is required to obtain addendum medical opinions regarding toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC in excess of SMC(n) based on his service-connected conditions and additional disabilities, as well as his need for aid and attendance. The appeal was dismissed.
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