The Veteran's death was caused by ileum cancer with metastasis, which is not service-connected. The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for a medical opinion regarding whether his military service contributed to his death.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there were pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors and needed to obtain a medical opinion on whether any activity in service caused or contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran’s death, including exposure to herbicides while stationed in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- prostate cancer, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), coronary artery disease, status-post coronary artery bypass graft, diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, a gunshot wound with partial paralysis of the digital nerve of the left index finger, ileum cancer with metastasis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2019
- Citation
- A19001497
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 A19001497.
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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
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