The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for Crohn's disease and colon condition due to Agent Orange exposure as there is insufficient evidence to determine if these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service. The case will be sent back for further examination and opinion from a specialist physician.
The deciding factor: The Board found that while Crohn's disease and colon condition are not on the list of diseases presumed service connected in veterans exposed to Agent Orange, they may still establish service connection if caused by exposure to these substances.
- Claimed conditions
- Crohn’s disease, colon condition
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 13, 2018
- Citation
- 18118376
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 18118376.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a colon condition, including as caused by herbicide agent exposure or secondary to his service-connected disabilities, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection on any basis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and colon condition are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The AOJ must obtain new or addendum opinions from qualified clinicians, including possibly a GI specialist, to address the Veteran's lay statements regarding his conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to errors in duty to assist and regulatory or statutory duties, specifically for a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the gastrointestinal disability, including cecal mass.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
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