The Board previously denied service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx. The Court remanded the case due to insufficient reasons and bases provided by the Board regarding the potential link between in-service herbicide exposure and the cancer.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for additional medical evidence to determine if there is a plausible connection between in-service herbicide exposure and the hypopharyngeal cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19125796
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 19125796.
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 found that the veteran's cause of death, squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, was not due to service or any service-connected disability. The Board also determined that this cancer did not contribute substantially or materially in producing the veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's left eye condition is related to service, as it found that the condition did not preexist service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, related to in-service exposures at Camp Lejeune.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of August 10, 2022, for the grant of service connection for sinusitis based on the PACT Act.
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