The Veteran's claim for service connection for throat cancer as due to exposure to herbicide agents in ROK was granted, with the presumption of exposure being established based on his lay testimony and buddy statements. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether he was exposed to herbicides near the DMZ.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lay testimony and buddy statements supported a finding of exposure to herbicide agents near the DMZ, which triggered the presumption of exposure for service connection purposes.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 17, 2021
- Citation
- 21029818
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 21029818.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his military service and the cancer.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx was granted with an effective date of March 31, 2014. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted as the evidence did not support such a finding.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for increased disability rating and service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.
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