The Veteran's cause of death, colorectal cancer, was directly related to his in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in approximate balance that the Veteran's cause of death was caused by this exposure.
The deciding factor: The private doctor provided a thorough review of the medical literature and identified specific chemical exposures the Veteran was subjected to, concluding that his colorectal cancer was at least as likely as not related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- colorectal cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2026
- Citation
- A26017074
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 A26017074.
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.
- Dismissed
Your appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of your appeal. As a result, no decision can be made on your claims.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for colorectal cancer, a disability rating more than 60 percent for nephrosclerosis associated with type II diabetes mellitus, TDIU, and an earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's colorectal cancer is granted on a direct basis. The Board has also remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his GI disorders, including diverticulitis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for colorectal cancer, finding that the evidence did not establish a chronic condition in service or a relationship to service.
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