The Board has determined that the Veteran's acute lymphoid leukemia, which was related to his exposure to contaminants during service, qualifies as a cause of death. The decision grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The private opinion provided by Dr. C. K., a cancer specialist, concluded that the Veteran's diagnosis and death from acute lymphocytic leukemia was at least as likely as not caused by his military exposure to benzene.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute lymphoid leukemia
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26004836
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 A26004836.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's request for an effective date prior to March 14, 2017, for service connection cause of death due to adult leukemia. The effective date is set at March 14, 2017, as this was when the law was amended to add adult leukemia to the list of diseases associated with contaminants present in the water supply at Camp Lejeune.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death is granted due to service connection for acute lymphoid leukemia, which was presumed based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board also found that the Veteran met the threshold duration of service required under 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(7)(iii).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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