The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's fatal malignant melanoma was related to exposure to Agent Orange during service. The accrued benefits claim is also pending and will be adjudicated at this time.
The deciding factor: The appellant submitted evidence suggesting an association between Agent Orange exposure and malignant melanoma, but the Board notes that such evidence alone does not establish service connection for the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic malignant melanoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 20, 2004
- Citation
- 0425802
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 0425802.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, metastatic malignant melanoma, was related to his exposure to herbicide agents in service, specifically Agent Orange. The claim is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's metastatic malignant melanoma to determine if it is related to service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically his metastatic malignant melanoma. The appellant contends that this condition was caused by Agent Orange exposure during service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for metastatic malignant melanoma, finding that there was no evidence of a causal relationship between his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and his current condition. The earliest diagnosis of the cancer was decades after service.
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