The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating and an earlier effective date for service connection for tongue cancer.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show a recurrence of cancer or any residuals that would warrant a compensable rating, and there were no claims filed prior to August 10, 2022, which is the effective date of the PACT Act.
- Claimed conditions
- tongue cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25026057
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims of service connection for a skin disability, throat cancer, tongue cancer, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as there was no valid claim or appeal pending at the time of the Veteran's death.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for tongue cancer has been withdrawn and dismissed by the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a compensable rating for tongue cancer, as the evidence did not support these requests.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.