The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability. The Board found no evidence of the Veteran's carcinoma of the esophagus during his military service or within one year after discharge, and thus denied DIC benefits based on service connection for cause of death.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence that the Veteran's carcinoma of the esophagus was incurred in or aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma of the esophagus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 2, 2023
- Citation
- 23025118
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 23025118.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding the Veteran's cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to issues with obtaining an independent medical opinion and further review of the claims file.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that the esophageal cancer was not related to his active service.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by lung cancer, which is presumed to be service-connected due to his Vietnam-era service. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's 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.