The Board has remanded the claims for colorectal cancer, pulmonary hypertension, and mitral valve prolapse due to inadequate development and lack of proper consideration of factors related to ionizing radiation exposure. The Veteran will need a VA examination and an addendum opinion from the Chief Public Health and Environmental Hazards Officer.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional development is necessary prior to adjudication of the claims, including obtaining a VA examination and an addendum advisory opinion from the CPHEHO concerning the etiology of the Veteran's colorectal cancer due to ionizing radiation exposure in service.
- Claimed conditions
- colorectal cancer, pulmonary hypertension, mitral valve prolapse
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19143469
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 940 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19143469.
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 has granted service connection for bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse, finding that the Veteran's heart disability was aggravated by military service.
- Dismissed
Your appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of your appeal. As a result, no decision can be made on your claims.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for colorectal cancer, a disability rating more than 60 percent for nephrosclerosis associated with type II diabetes mellitus, TDIU, and an earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).
- Granted
The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a heart disability (mitral valve prolapse) due to new and relevant evidence, finding that it was aggravated by military service. Service connection is granted.
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