The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his pancreatic cancer is related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.
The deciding factor: The examiner must determine if there is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s pancreatic cancer or any other contributing causes are related to an in-service injury, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic pancreatic cancer, respiratory failure, renal failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18153409
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 18153409.
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 causes of death were not found to be service-connected, as there was no credible evidence linking the conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's metastatic pancreatic cancer, which was service-connected, substantially and materially contributed to his death. Therefore, service connection for cause of death is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's chronic kidney disease.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, including hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II, are presumed to be related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.
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