The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and dismissed the appeal regarding SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for the surviving spouse.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish that the Veteran's acute leukemia was incurred in or caused by service, or that it manifested within one year of separation. The Board also found no credible evidence of herbicide exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute leukemia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 15, 2023
- Citation
- A23032223
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 A23032223.
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 decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination and medical nexus opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service and his death, specifically acute leukemia. The claim will be reviewed with an appropriate VA examiner.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, acute leukemia, is granted as service-connected due to the approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding the merits of the issue. The Board concludes that there is no known nexus between Agent Orange exposure and the development of AML.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death, acute leukemia, was not service-connected as it did not manifest in service or for many years thereafter and is not related to service.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board found that his MDS was not related to his military service or exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.
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.