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Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)

The Board is remanding the case to obtain a copy of Dr. Thomas Smyrk's medical opinion/consultation letter from Mayo Clinic, which was requested by Dr. Romero at Cox Medical Center South. The VA physician will provide opinions on whether lung cancer was the primary site and if so, whether it metastasized from the liver.

The deciding factor: The Board needs to obtain a copy of Dr. Smyrk's medical opinion/consultation letter in order to determine the nature of the Veteran's cancer and its origin.

Claimed conditions
metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma of the liver
How they argued it
Not specified
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
October 25, 2011
Citation
1139445

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 1139445.

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).

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