The Veteran died from end stage liver cancer-cholangioma. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of his death, alleging that it was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and/or due to VA's failure to properly diagnose and treat gallstones. The Board has remanded the case to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam and his liver cancer.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address whether the Veteran's exposure to herbicides caused or contributed to his cause of death, as required by the Joint Motion.
- Claimed conditions
- end stage liver cancer-cholangioma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2012
- Citation
- 1243120
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 1243120.
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: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's end stage liver cancer-cholangioma, which is presumed to be due to his exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam, was caused by his service-connected conditions and thus warrants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.
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.