The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for further medical opinion regarding his cancer diagnoses. The issues are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: Further medical evaluation is needed to determine if the Veteran’s cancers are related to his military service, specifically his exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- cancer relating to the head and neck, lymphatic cancer, brain cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, squamous cell cancer of the floor of the mouth, head and neck cancer
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2018
- Citation
- 18141472
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 18141472.
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 death was due to carcinoma esophagus, with head and neck cancer noted as significant conditions. The Board found that the evidence does not support a connection between in-service herbicide agent exposure and the Veteran's cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for liver cancer, lung cancer, and brain cancer due to procedural errors in obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's lung cancer.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was caused by brain cancer and respiratory failure, which the VA medical examiner concluded were not related to his service. The Board found no evidence of asbestos or ionizing radiation exposure causing these conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for testicular cancer, lung cancer, lymphatic cancer, erectile dysfunction (ED), low testosterone, loss of use of a creative organ (heart disorder), acid reflux, and lung damage. SMC based on the loss of use of a creative organ is also granted.
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