The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents caused or contributed to his death. The case will be reviewed after obtaining an appropriate medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran’s death due to in-service herbicide agent exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal carcinoma, metastases to the lungs
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19130704
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for Barrett's esophagitis, GERD, and esophageal carcinoma based on the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during active service in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete information regarding his SSA income. The Board will verify the amount of his SSA benefits and request that he submit EVR and Medical Expense Reports for the specified period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for cause of death, esophageal carcinoma, malignant pleural effusion, and cardiopulmonary failure. The medical evidence did not support a link between these conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted an earlier effective date of May [REDACTED], 2012, for the grant of service connection for cause of death due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.