The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with a previous directive to obtain brain tumor tissue samples and to document all actions taken. The case will be remanded for further development, including obtaining the tissue samples and providing opinions on the Veteran's service connection claims.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded because there was no substantial compliance with a previous directive to attempt to obtain brain tumor tissue samples and document all actions taken towards that end.
- Claimed conditions
- Brain tumor, Soft tissue sarcoma (including malignant schwannoma)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19196220
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,677 · Granted: 26% (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 19196220.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a brain tumor and pituitary condition, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's brain tumor, which was diagnosed as a pituitary tumor, is related to his service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's brain tumor.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding no evidence that a brain tumor was related to his military service or toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune.
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