The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid cancer due to herbicide exposure, as there is insufficient direct evidence of a link between these conditions and his service. The Veteran submitted articles indicating an increased risk of cancer in veterans exposed to toxic herbicides, but this alone does not establish service connection.
The deciding factor: The evidence provided by the Veteran does not directly connect squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid cancer to his military service or herbicide exposure, thus requiring further investigation through a VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19124632
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 service connection for thyroid cancer, as it was not shown to be chronic in service and did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for skin cancer was dismissed due to untimeliness, while the claim for squamous cell carcinoma was granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for thyroid cancer, finding a link to the Veteran's in-service herbicide exposure during his service in Vietnam.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for headaches and remanded claims for service connection for various other conditions, including open angle glaucoma, sensorineural hearing loss, asthma, heart disease, bladder cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma.
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