The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected carcinoma of the pancreas, which is considered a direct result of in-service exposure to burning fires and fumes. The Board found the evidence in equipoise regarding this claim.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran's pancreatic cancer was likely due to in-service exposure to burning fires and fumes during his service in Southwest Asia, but there were also conflicting opinions from VA examiners.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma of the pancreas
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21068764
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 21068764.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the case to obtain a new medical opinion from an oncologist regarding the Veteran's cause of death. The previous opinions did not comply with the Board's instructions.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, carcinoma of the pancreas, is found to be related to his herbicide exposure during active duty service. Service connection for this condition is granted.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. The medical opinion provided supports a link between the Veteran's pancreatic cancer and his in-service herbicide agent exposure.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition, including his diabetes mellitus and Agent Orange exposure. The cause of death is attributed to carcinoma of the pancreas.
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