The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and potential herbicide exposure during service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is not enough information about the Veteran's treatment records and medical nexus opinions, which are necessary to determine if his esophageal cancer was caused by service or herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19182881
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19182881.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease and Type II diabetes mellitus due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. Service connection for metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma is remanded as the AOJ failed to obtain a direct service connection medical opinion.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of service personnel records and the need to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicides while stationed at Ramasun Station. The cause of death is attributed to metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma, but there is contention that atherosclerotic heart disease may be related to herbicide exposure.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma is not service-connected, and the Board has remanded to determine if his service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to cause his death. The issues of service connection for metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma and cause of death are inextricably intertwined.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of her husband's death and DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding no evidence linking the veteran's esophageal adenocarcinoma to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange or asbestos.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.