The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's kidney condition, including kidney stones and chronic conditions, is related to his service in Vietnam, specifically exposure to herbicide agents.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that there was no current residual conditions or complications from treatment of renal cancer, which potentially contradicted the Veteran's claims. The Board concluded a new examination and etiological opinion are needed for a full assessment.
- Claimed conditions
- kidney condition, chronic kidney disease, acute-on-chronic renal failure, chronic renal insufficiency, right renal cyst
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20010631
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 20010631.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the appellant withdrew their request for a hearing and to continue with the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran meets the basic medical eligibility criteria for PCAFC benefits due to his need for personal care services based on symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury. However, further clinical evaluation is needed to determine if participation in the program is in the Veteran's best interest.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease, effective January 30, 1998. The decision is based on newly associated service treatment records that were not previously considered in the original denial of the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between chronic kidney disease and service. The Veteran's claim will be returned for further examination and opinion.
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