BVA decisions by condition
Non-hodgkin's lymphoma: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a non-hodgkin's lymphoma issue in 1,088 decisions. It granted the non-hodgkin's lymphoma issue in 30.3% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 26.9%, and remanded it in 41.5%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 53.0% were granted.
Decisions
1,088
2017–2026
Granted
30.3%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
53.0%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
41.5%
Denied: 26.9%
Non-hodgkin's lymphoma outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 57 | 35.1% | 28.1% | 35.1% | 1.8% |
| 2018 | 108 | 28.7% | 38.9% | 31.5% | 0.9% |
| 2019 | 146 | 24.0% | 34.9% | 39.0% | 2.1% |
| 2020 | 126 | 23.0% | 32.5% | 42.9% | 1.6% |
| 2021 | 121 | 24.8% | 14.9% | 57.9% | 2.5% |
| 2022 | 140 | 33.6% | 23.6% | 40.7% | 2.1% |
| 2023 | 143 | 31.5% | 25.2% | 39.2% | 4.2% |
| 2024 | 122 | 30.3% | 20.5% | 48.4% | 0.8% |
| 2025 | 95 | 38.9% | 24.2% | 35.8% | 1.1% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied non-hodgkin's lymphoma decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the non-hodgkin's lymphoma issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 195 | 81.9% | 44.7% | +37.1 pts |
| Buddy statement | 57 | 75.6% | 51.4% | +24.2 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 101 | 72.3% | 50.7% | +21.6 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 121 | 65.2% | 50.9% | +14.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 389 | 58.4% | 49.2% | +9.2 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 147 | 43.9% | 53.9% | −10.0 pts |
| Lay statement | 801 | 49.1% | 67.7% | −18.6 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 69.1% of the decisions that granted non-hodgkin's lymphoma.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 38.8% of grants and 11.3% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often non-hodgkin's lymphoma was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 329 | 38.9% | 59.8% | −20.8 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 556 | 40.9% | 67.6% | −26.7 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied non-hodgkin's lymphoma
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established58
- Veteran served in thailand during vietnam era9
- Presumption of herbicide exposure applied4
- Non-hodgkin's lymphoma is a presumptive condition under 38 c.f.r. § 3.309(e)4
- Non-hodgkin's lymphoma is presumptively linked to herbicide exposure4
- Non-hodgkin's lymphoma is a presumptive condition for herbicide exposure4
- Presumed exposure to herbicide agents3
- Veteran diagnosed with non-hodgkin's lymphoma3
Most common reasons in denials
- Service records negative or silent27
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis24
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim24
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service15
- No current diagnosis13
- Current diagnosis established8
- No continuity of symptomatology7
- No evidence of herbicide exposure7
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent non-hodgkin's lymphoma decisions
Granted
Veteran served at Fort McClellan during periods of herbicide use/storage.; Board found evidence in equipoise regarding herbicide exposure.; Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a presumptive condition for herbicide exposure.
Fort McClellan exposure conceded; Evidence at least approximately balanced; Resolving doubt in favor of veteran
Favorable AOJ findings for diagnosis and TERA exposure; Benefit of the doubt applied; Private opinion more probative than VA opinion
Denied
Confirmed diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.; Veteran participated in TERA (diesel exhaust, fuels, VOCs, etc.).; VA examiner found no evidence linking NHL to TERA exposures.
No nexus opinion linking diagnosis to service.; Diagnosis made after AOJ decision; no pre-decisional duty to assist error.; Attorney's contention regarding condition classification not medically supported.
NHL diagnosis was erroneous.; Severance of service connection for NHL was proper.; Veteran does not have NHL.
Rules that apply to non-hodgkin's lymphoma claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your non-hodgkin's lymphoma case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a non-hodgkin's lymphoma issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.