The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of herbicide exposure and a need for an opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's cause of death and his service.
The deciding factor: The claim is being returned because there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during active service, which is required for presumptive service connection. The Board also needs to determine if the Veteran's cause of death is related to his period of active service, including due to claimed in-service herbicide agent exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- hypoxic respiratory failure, malignant pleural effusion, end stage metastatic cancer, adenocarcinoma of the lung
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18159271
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 18159271.
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: Granted
The Veteran's diffused large B-cell lymphoma stage 4 disability is related to service exposure, and secondary disabilities such as malignant pleural effusion, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gout, sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and persistent depressive disorder are also related to this primary condition.,The Veteran's diffused large B-cell lymphoma stage 4 disability is a direct result of service exposure.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of death and migraine headaches, but denied an increased rating for PTSD.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a respiratory disability, diagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the lung, atelectasis, and bronchiectasis, to obtain an updated TERA memorandum and new VA opinion.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for adenocarcinoma of the lung, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran and finding that his condition is causally related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
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