The Board has remanded the case for a supplemental medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's myelodysplastic syndrome, specifically whether it is related to military service and presumed exposure to herbicide agents such as Agent Orange.
The deciding factor: The Board requires a supplemental medical opinion concerning the etiology of the Veteran’s MDS due to conflicting opinions from previous experts and the fact that MDS is not on VA's list of diseases eligible for presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19184669
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal for a new VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's MDS and potential AML and b-cell leukemia due to inadequacies in previous opinions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), to include anaplastic anemia, due to toxic exposure at Fort McClellan.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome based on the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) as it was not shown to be related to the Veteran's service or any toxic exposure.
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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.