The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine its etiology. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions.
The deciding factor: The claim requires further evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and the relationship between his squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and any in-service 'cancers,' including those treated with lancing and removal.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2014
- Citation
- 1428685
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 1428685.
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 Veteran's lymphoma and scar have been granted effective dates of August 23, 2018. The Veteran is service-connected for his lymphoma with an initial noncompensable rating, and the RO has not assigned a compensable rating for his scar.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for malignant neoplasm of lymph nodes of the head, face, neck and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death is being remanded due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether his cause of death, ischemic heart disease and hypertension, are service-connected. Additionally, the burial benefits claim is inextricably intertwined with these issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an opinion regarding the causal relationship between the Veteran's cancers and his herbicide agent exposure in service, as well as the cause of death.
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