BVA decisions by condition
Neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer): BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) issue in 832 decisions. It granted the neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) issue in 11.5% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 52.6%, and remanded it in 35.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 18.0% were granted.
Decisions
832
2017–2026
Granted
11.5%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
18.0%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
35.8%
Denied: 52.6%
Neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 79 | 6.3% | 68.4% | 22.8% |
| 2019 | 101 | 8.9% | 60.4% | 30.7% |
| 2020 | 122 | 4.9% | 56.6% | 40.2% |
| 2021 | 86 | 7.0% | 52.3% | 37.2% |
| 2022 | 82 | 14.6% | 45.1% | 43.9% |
| 2023 | 106 | 15.1% | 43.4% | 42.5% |
| 2024 | 105 | 16.2% | 46.7% | 36.2% |
| 2025 | 79 | 15.2% | 46.8% | 38.0% |
Evidence in granted and denied neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) 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 | 139 | 51.8% | 8.8% | +42.9 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 42 | 53.3% | 15.9% | +37.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 99 | 41.0% | 14.0% | +27.0 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 271 | 31.3% | 10.5% | +20.7 pts |
| Combat service | 55 | 24.4% | 17.4% | +6.9 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 126 | 23.6% | 17.3% | +6.3 pts |
| Lay statement | 638 | 11.2% | 45.3% | −34.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 76.0% of the decisions that granted neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer).
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 22.9% of grants and 10.3% 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 neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) 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 | 431 | 16.2% | 20.5% | −4.4 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 568 | 14.8% | 28.1% | −13.3 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer)
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established15
- Presumed herbicide exposure due to vietnam service2
- Presumed herbicide exposure during vietnam service2
- Veteran served in vietnam, presumed herbicide exposure2
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim38
- No current diagnosis29
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis26
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service24
- Service records negative or silent24
- Current diagnosis established19
- No evidence of in-service dental trauma7
- Criteria for service connection not met7
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 neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) decisions
Granted
AOJ conceded asbestos exposure; Conflicting VA medical opinions regarding cause of cancer; Inadequate VA opinions failed to address squamous cell carcinoma and UV exposure; Restored service connection due to improper severance
Presumptive link to herbicide exposure; Positive nexus from VA examiner; Equitable evidence balance resolved in veteran's favor
Approximate balance of evidence; Benefit of the doubt applied; Private opinion found highly probative
Denied
Evidence persuasively weighs against onset during service or within one year of separation.; VA examiner provided negative opinion linking BCC to service exposures (asbestos, cleaning chemicals).; No indication BCC is associated with service-connected disabilities.
No evidence of in-service dental trauma; No compensable dental conditions documented; Dental issues not due to trauma/osteomyelitis
VA dental examination found no dental condition related to service.; Veteran's dental issues did not meet VA criteria for compensation.; Benefit-of-the-doubt rule inapplicable as evidence weighed against the claim.
Rules that apply to neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) 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 neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) 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 neoplasm hard and soft tissue malignant (oral cancer) 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.