The Board remanded the claim for service connection for colon cancer. Additional development is required, including obtaining current treatment records and obtaining a specific medical opinion regarding the Veteran's colon cancer and its relationship to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the December 2014 VA oncologist opinion supporting a nexus between colon cancer and herbicide exposure was not specific to the Veteran, and the September 2015 VA examination opinion was inadequate because the examiner could not provide a positive nexus without speculation, necessitating remand for further development including a new VA examination or updated medical opinion addressing the Veteran's specific case and the prior Dr. J.S. opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- colon cancer, rectal cancer
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20001954
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 claim for service connection of colon cancer, claimed as due to exposure to asbestos, for an addendum opinion considering additional evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for colon cancer as the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current condition and their in-service toxic exposure risk activity.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claim for colon cancer to obtain a medical opinion on its etiology, particularly regarding exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding no evidence linking rectal cancer to his active military service.
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