The Veteran's cause of death was due to stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the lung, which is not service-connected. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence linking the Veteran's lung cancer to his active duty service and he did not meet the requirements for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.
- Claimed conditions
- Adenocarcinoma of the lung
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2023
- Citation
- 23002809
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 23002809.
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.
- Partly granted
The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for a heart disability was dismissed, while the claim for adenocarcinoma of the lung was granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, along with a 100% disability rating for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, qualifies him for an effective date of March 2, 2017, for the grant of special monthly compensation (SMC)(l) based on aid and attendance. The Veteran is also eligible for SMC(p), at a higher rate than (l), due to his other service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted the appellant's application to reopen her claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and remanded the issue of entitlement to burial benefits. The Board also remanded the issue of whether the Veteran's fatal lung disability was related to service, including asbestos exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for GERD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and adenocarcinoma of the lung.
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.