The Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer is being remanded due to the need for further medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his current condition, diabetes mellitus II, and any aggravation of his pre-existing conditions.
The deciding factor: Service connection may be established on a secondary basis if the current disability was caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability. The Veteran's claim requires clarification on these relationships.
- Claimed conditions
- colon cancer, diabetes mellitus II
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2018
- Citation
- 18110875
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 18110875.
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 Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and its relation to service. The Veteran's atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and colon cancer are being evaluated for their relationship to toxic exposure during service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus II and associated conditions have produced impairment inconsistent with obtaining or following substantially gainful employment from June 12, 2017, to March 5, 2024. The Board grants a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for this period.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for colon cancer and liver cancer is granted due to the relationship between his in-service toxic exposures, including burn pits. His liver cancer was found to be related to his now service-connected colon cancer.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to errors in developing evidence related to possible ionizing radiation exposure and TERA participation. The claim will be reconsidered with proper development of this information.
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