The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck, and tonsils due to exposure to herbicide agents. The case is now remanded for a VA examination to determine if the cancer is related to active duty service.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the last denial suggests that the Veteran's current condition may be related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service, but further medical evaluation is needed to establish this relationship.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck, and tonsils
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19157898
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 19157898.
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 squamous cell carcinoma of the head, neck, and tonsils due to herbicide exposure as there was no evidence linking his cancer to his military service or presumed herbicide exposure.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Granted
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
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