The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the cause of death and new evidence suggesting a potential association between herbicide agent exposure and esophageal cancer.
The deciding factor: The expert is required to provide an opinion on whether there is a potential causative relationship between exposure to herbicide agents and esophageal cancer, considering other risk factors.
- Claimed conditions
- Esophageal cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20012404
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 20012404.
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 service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and remanded the issue of esophageal cancer.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding no evidence linking his esophageal cancer to his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death, specifically to address whether his esophageal cancer is related to his exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically prostate cancer, and accrued benefits based on a pending claim for esophageal cancer due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.
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