The Board granted service connection for lung cancer, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his active-duty service, specifically due to exposure to smoke from fires involving oil wells and burn pits.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the medical evidence supporting a link between the Veteran's lung cancer and his conceded exposures during service, despite conflicting opinions regarding the significance of these exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- lung cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2024
- Citation
- 24004323
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 granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of December 12, 2023, for a 50 percent evaluation of bipolar disorder and remanded the other issues for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death, including lung cancer and cardio-pulmonary arrest, to address in-service toxic exposures.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions due to a lack of jurisdiction over the claims.
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