The Veteran's lung cancer is granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicides. The cause of death (pancreatic cancer) and ischemic heart disease are remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence to determine the etiology of the Veteran’s pancreatic cancer or his ischemic heart disease, thus requiring additional medical opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- Lung cancer, Isochemic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20008092
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 a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's liver, lung, brain, and bone cancers in relation to his service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for COPD, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of death, finding that toxic exposure during service contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was not persuasive evidence linking his lung cancer to his military service.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.