The Board is remanding the cause-of-death claim to obtain additional VCAA notice and medical nexus opinions. The appellant believes her husband's terminal liver cancer was caused by his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, but this theory of entitlement does not apply as he did not die from a condition listed for presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have any service-connected disabilities at the time of his death and there is no positive association between exposure to herbicides and any other condition for which the Secretary has not specifically determined that a presumption of service connection is warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 29, 2011
- Citation
- 1112322
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1112322.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, Barrett's esophagus, and obstructive sleep apnea but dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma and its relation to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether his fatal hepatocellular carcinoma was related to his in-service asbestos exposure and other duties.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified errors in the initial decision and requires a new VA examination to determine the nature and cause of the Veteran's hepatitis C infection, including its onset during service.
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