The Veteran's death was not related to his service, specifically due to the lack of evidence linking his pancreatic cancer to his active duty. The Board found that there is no probative evidence connecting the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents or contaminated water at Camp Lejeune with his cause of death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's pancreatic cancer was unrelated to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and contaminated water, and thus not related to his cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic pancreatic cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21070835
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 21070835.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's metastatic pancreatic cancer, which was service-connected, substantially and materially contributed to his death. Therefore, service connection for cause of death is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was due to service-connected cause, specifically his metastatic pancreatic cancer which is presumed to be related to burn pit exposure in the Persian Gulf. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's pancreatic neoplasm and metastatic pancreatic cancer are granted service connection.,The cause of the Veteran's death, respiratory arrest due to metastatic pancreatic cancer, is also granted service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death is attributed to metastatic pancreatic cancer, which the Board finds was caused by his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during service. Service connection for cause of death is granted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.