The Veteran's death was due to carcinoma esophagus, with head and neck cancer noted as significant conditions. The Board found that the evidence does not support a connection between in-service herbicide agent exposure and the Veteran's cause of death.
The deciding factor: The November 2024 VA opinion concluded that the Veteran's metastatic head and neck/esophageal cancer was less likely than not caused by herbicide agent exposure, due to significant risk factors for these cancers including smoking and alcohol consumption.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma esophagus, head and neck cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2026
- Citation
- A26035808
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 A26035808.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's head and neck cancer, diagnosed as mammary analogue secretory carcinoma, was not incurred in service and is not presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, head and neck cancer, was previously granted service connection. Therefore, the Board has granted service connection for the cause of death.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death due to metastatic skin cancer and head and neck cancer, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to military service or any service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about VA's care and potential secondary service connection for prostate cancer. The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck, and tongue is being reviewed for possible direct service connection.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.