The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to metastatic adenocarcinoma, finding that it is causally related to his in-service reflux esophagitis, duodenal ulcer, and hiatal hernia.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's metastatic adenocarcinoma was likely caused by his history of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which began in service.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 28, 2023
- Citation
- 23024895
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 23024895.
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 inadequate analysis and need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service, specifically his presumed herbicide exposure (including Agent Orange), and his death. The appellant contends that the Veteran died from lung cancer rather than metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's death was caused by metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, which is service-connected. The appellant is therefore granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and established as eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking the esophageal cancer to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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