The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and that he did not have any pending claims for benefits at the time of his death. The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is remanded to determine if there is evidence linking the cancer to Agent Orange exposure or military service.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that a medical opinion is necessary to address whether the Veteran's tonsil cancer was at least as likely as not related to service, including exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange).
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell cancer of the left tonsil
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2018
- Citation
- 1814672
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1814672.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell cancer of the left tonsil (tonsil cancer) and remanded the issue of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for residuals of adenocarcinoma of the lung, right upper lobe prior to October 19, 2021.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's squamous cell cancer of the left tonsil and tongue with left modified radical neck dissection and tonsillectomy is at least as likely as not associated with herbicide exposure, specifically Agent Orange. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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