The Veteran's desmoid fibromatosis (soft tissue sarcoma) with surgical scarring is granted as service connected due to exposure to burn pits and other toxins during her service in the United Arab Emirates in 2009, effective August 10, 2022. Prior to this date, she had presumptive service connection based on the PACT Act.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnosis of desmoid fibromatosis (soft tissue sarcoma) with surgical scarring is a type of neck cancer and was found to be due to her exposure to fumes and smoke from garbage being burned on base during her service in the United Arab Emirates in 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- desmoid fibromatosis (soft tissue sarcoma), surgical scarring
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2026
- Citation
- A26016527
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 A26016527.
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 Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure compliance with previous remand directives and proper development for the Veteran's claims.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, thus the claim for TDIU is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of kidney cancer and surgical scarring secondary to kidney cancer are both granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a Morton's neuroma of the left foot and assigned an initial 10 percent rating, effective from December 4, 2002. A separate rating is available for surgical scarring associated with this disability.
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