The Board denied service connection for thyroid nodules, soft tissue sarcoma, and lymphoma, all claimed as due to Agent Orange exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show a current disability of any of these conditions, either by diagnosis or showing of impairment of earning capacity. The Board found that the currently diagnosed benign thyroid nodules were less likely than not etiologically related to herbicide exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma, thyroid nodules
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023505
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25023505.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent her from securing and maintaining substantial, gainful employment prior to May 1, 2021. Her earnings exceeded the poverty threshold for each year during this period.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, soft tissue sarcoma, and hypertension. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is presumed due to his service in Thailand with the 18 Organizational Maintenance Squadron (PACAF).
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran's lymphoma is related to his active duty service and has awarded service connection for angina secondary to his service-connected asbestosis.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for basal cell carcinoma, but denied service connection for soft tissue sarcoma. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's basal cell carcinoma.
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.