The Veteran's death is being reviewed to determine if it was related to his service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The issue of entitlement to Survivor's and Dependent's Educational Assistance benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is also being considered.
The deciding factor: The cause of the Veteran's death is being evaluated based on the medical records provided, which include diagnoses of metastatic colon cancer and advanced COPD. The relationship to service, including exposure to herbicide agents, will be determined by a VA physician.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic colon cancer, advanced COPD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0936715
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 0936715.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cause of death was metastatic colon cancer, but the appellant contends it was caused by exposure to ionizing radiation during his service as an X-ray technician. The case is remanded for further development regarding dose estimation and consideration under VA regulations.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be related to service-connected conditions, specifically metastatic colon cancer and coronary artery disease. The Board granted the claim for service connection based on the evidence provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cause of death is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his service-connected conditions and his death. The Board requests a medical opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically in obtaining VA medical records and an adequate medical opinion regarding the cause of death.
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