The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that it was etiologically related to his military service, specifically exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on a private medical opinion linking the Veteran's colon cancer to his in-service exposure to hazardous materials, including herbicides, and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant neoplasm of the colon
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25057733
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 857 · Granted: 35% (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 A25057733.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development regarding his exposure to herbicides during service.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection on the issues of colon polyp, duodenal cancer, malignant neoplasm of the colon, hypertension, and supraventricular tachycardia have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of his claims as they are moot.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by metastatic malignant neoplasm of the liver and malignant neoplasm of the colon, which are not among the diseases listed under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e) for which presumptive service connection based on herbicide agent exposure is available. However, service connection may be established if medical evidence directly relates that exposure to herbicides while serving in Thailand to these cancers. The Board has therefore remanded the case for a VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's cause of death and his in-service herbicide exposure.
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