The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to multiple brain intercerebral tumors, which were found to be related to his exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and herbicide agents during service in Vietnam. His melanoma is considered a result of his sun exposure, not directly from service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's melanoma was determined to have been caused by his exposure to UV radiation and herbicides, particularly Agent Blue which contains arsenic that sensitizes skin to the carcinogenic effects of UV radiation.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple brain intercerebral tumors, Metastatic melanoma, Metastatic lung carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2021
- Citation
- 21063873
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 21063873.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain an adequate opinion regarding the cause of death and its relation to service, including in-service dental treatment. The Veteran died from acute renal failure, metastatic melanoma, cerebral metastasis, or seizure disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his metastatic lung carcinoma was related to his in-service toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore DIC benefits are denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that ischemic heart disease and metastatic melanoma were related to his active duty service. The Board concluded that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in-service, presumptively causing his ischemic heart disease, and also found a causal relationship between his sun exposure during service and his fatal melanoma.
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