The Veteran's claim for service connection for oropharyngeal carcinoma, related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, is granted. The Board found that the evidence supports a causal link between the Veteran's exposure and his cancer.
The deciding factor: The opinion provided by Dr. J.G., based on a thorough review of the Veteran's medical history and working knowledge of the relevant medical issues, showed a causal nexus between the Veteran's in-service herbicide agent exposure and his oropharyngeal cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- oropharyngeal carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2023
- Citation
- 23056057
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 23056057.
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.
- Granted
The Board has jurisdiction to consider the merits of the appeal for oropharyngeal carcinoma under the legacy appeals system, finding that the December 2018 Notice of Disagreement was adequate and timely.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to oropharyngeal carcinoma, which is presumed to have been caused by herbicide exposure during service.,The claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 was dismissed as the cause of death was already established through service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's death was caused by Agent Orange exposure and smoking history.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board found no evidence to support a claim that Agent Orange exposure contributed to his oropharyngeal carcinoma. The cause of death listed on the death certificate is smoking.
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