The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's metastatic adenocarcinoma is related to his exposure to herbicides during service, specifically Agent Orange. The SMC claim is also inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was indication of a possible link between the Veteran’s metastatic adenocarcinoma and his presumed exposure to herbicides, particularly Agent Orange, requiring further medical evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic adenocarcinoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19182282
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,374 · Granted: 19% (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 19182282.
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 the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his exposure to asbestos during active duty was a contributing factor.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's metastatic adenocarcinoma is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. As a result, service connection for this condition is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an open medical question regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes was a contributory factor in his death, and for obtaining an opinion from an oncologist on this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in its decision and the need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's alcohol use disorder and service-connected disabilities.
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