The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's bladder cancer, which contributed to his death, was related to his presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The National Academies of Sciences reclassified bladder cancer as a disease with 'limited or suggestive evidence' of an association with herbicide exposure. The Board requires another VA opinion on this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute myeloid leukemia, Bladder cancer, COPD
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19105605
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 service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's respiratory condition and his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bladder cancer, diabetes mellitus, type 2, and an acquired psychiatric disability (unspecified depressive disorder), but denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and a TDIU, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these disabilities were related to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's COPD precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment, warranting a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.