The Board granted service connection for multiple myeloma and the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that the evidence was in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's multiple myeloma was related to exposure to solvents during his period of active duty service.
The deciding factor: The probative value of medical opinion evidence is based on the medical expert's personal examination of the patient, the physician's knowledge and skill in analyzing the data, and the medical conclusion that the physician reaches. Here, the May 2022 private medical opinion was more probative than the September 2021 VA medical opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple myeloma
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051957
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A25051957.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection for acute promyelocytic leukemia on a presumptive basis is granted. However, the claim for service connection on a direct causation basis is remanded due to a failure to provide a TERA examination.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's retroactive compensation payments were validly created due to concurrent receipt of military pay and VA benefits, resulting in a debt that was properly recouped.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's multiple myeloma, which was presumed to be caused by herbicide agent exposure during service, was a contributing factor to his death. Therefore, the claim of service connection for cause of death is granted.
- Whole decision: Granted
Service connection for multiple myeloma is granted. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for COPD, PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, as well as service connection for back, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities are being remanded.
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