The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for larynx cancer, pharyngeal cancer, metastatic lung lesion (claimed as lung cancer), and trachea cancer due to presumed exposure to herbicides. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his active service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a remand was necessary for further development regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for larynx, pharyngeal, trachea, and lung cancer due to presumed exposure to herbicides. The VA examiner did not provide an opinion as to whether these conditions were directly related to his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- larynx cancer, pharyngeal cancer, metastatic lung lesion (claimed as lung cancer), trachea cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20004254
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,911 · Granted: 10% (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 20004254.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for larynx cancer, finding that there is at least an even balance of evidence to support a link between the condition and toxic exposures in service. The decision resolves any doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Dismissed
Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The claims for service connection and special monthly compensation are not currently before the Board.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new medical opinion to address the Veteran's pharyngeal cancer and its potential relation to service, due to an inaccurate factual premise in the previous medical opinion.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal for service connection and increased rating for larynx cancer was dismissed due to untimeliness.
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