The Board has reopened the service connection claim for metastatic cancer to the head and neck, but has remanded both the original claim and the new claim for right shoulder bone cancer due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The claims are being remanded because there is not enough information to determine if the cancers are related to service or service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic cancer to the head and neck, right shoulder bone cancer
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2018
- Citation
- 18142279
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 18142279.
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 Board has granted service connection for right shoulder bone cancer and metastatic cancer to the head and neck, finding that these conditions were caused or aggravated by exposure in service or due to a pre-existing condition (prostate cancer).
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's service connection claims for metastatic cancer to the head and neck and right shoulder bone cancer, finding no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and his active service or any other relevant factors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted as his PTSD is now considered service-connected.
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.