The veteran is seeking service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the left neck, claimed as the result of herbicide exposure. The Board has determined that additional development is required to determine if the cancer meets the criteria for a presumptive disease due to Agent Orange exposure.
The deciding factor: Additional medical records are needed to determine the precise nature and timing of the veteran's cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the left neck
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2004
- Citation
- 0407253
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 407 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0407253.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for carcinoma of the left neck, including adenocarcinoma in the lymph nodes and squamous cell carcinoma. The new evidence submitted suggests that the cancer is likely due to Agent Orange exposure during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the left neck is not related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that it was caused by sun exposure. The claim for skin cancer due to sun exposure will be addressed in the REMAND portion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the left neck is not service connected, as there was no competent medical evidence linking it to his period of active duty service or exposure to Agent Orange.
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.