The Veteran's cause of death, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, is not service-connected. The Board denied DIC benefits as the evidence does not establish that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents or other deployment-related exposures during his military service.
The deciding factor: The record does not establish any chemical exposure related to the disability associated with the Veteran's death and no lay statements provided sufficient medical nexus opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26024688
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 A26024688.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 GERD rating remains on appeal as only a partial grant of the benefit sought. The case is remanded to differentiate the Veteran's symptoms related to his service-connected lymphoma and obtain clarification as to the severity of his GERD-related symptoms without the effects of medication.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating for CAD and TDIU due to insufficient evidence, including a lack of VA medical opinion on METs level.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status, finding that her need for assistance was due to nonservice-connected conditions.
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