The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a rash on his lower legs and squamous cell cancer due to potential exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Veteran will need new opinions from VA examiners regarding these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the current opinions are inadequate as they relied solely on the absence of evidence, which is not sufficient for a determination of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- rash on the lower legs, squamous cell cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19175623
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell cancer and denied the claims for an earlier effective date, service connection for implanted cardiac pacemaker, and several other conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for neuropathy, a sinus disability, squamous cell cancer, and COPD due to the need for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell cancer, considering it presumptively related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam.
- Partly granted
The appeal for multiple myeloma was dismissed due to withdrawal. The appeal for squamous cell cancer was remanded for further examination.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.