The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma, which is presumed to be related to Agent Orange exposure. The VA will need to obtain an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner.
The deciding factor: The claimant's right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma may still be service-connected if found to be due to Agent Orange exposure, despite oropharyngeal cancer not being among the conditions for which presumptive service connection is available under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19191459
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,374 · Granted: 19% (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 19191459.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of the 100 percent disability rating for right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma and denied restoration of a 30 percent disability rating for loss of teeth with rampant decay, while also granting restoration of special monthly compensation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied service connection for various cancers and lymph node conditions, finding that the evidence does not support a link to service or any presumptive exposure. The cancers were diagnosed many years after separation from service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma, finding that there was no evidence of a direct relationship to his military service and noting that smoking tobacco use is a known risk factor for this type of cancer.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma is not service-connected as it did not occur during his military service and there is no evidence linking the condition to herbicide exposure. The Board denied the claim based on lack of in-service disease or injury, absence of a current disability related to service, and insufficient evidence to link the cancer to service.
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