The Veteran's death was due to lung cancer, which the Board found not related to service or a service-connected disability.,Service connection for low back disorder (spinal stenosis) was denied as there is no evidence of a link between the in-service injury and the current condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lung cancer did not manifest during service, within one year of separation, or falls outside the presumptive provisions for service connection.,There is no competent medical evidence linking the in-service low back strain to the diagnosed spinal stenosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Lung Cancer, Low Back Disorder (Spinal Stenosis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2020
- Citation
- 20014116
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 20014116.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death, lung cancer, was not related to his active duty service and therefore service connection for the cause of death is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim of service connection for GERD has been readjudicated due to the submission of relevant new evidence.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral eye condition, headaches, low back condition, lung cancer, and Parkinson's disease with tremors have also been readjudicated due to the submission of relevant new evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eligibility for the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) was remanded due to inadequate medical opinion and insufficient notice. The Board found that the Veteran required personal care services due to his chronic conditions, including lymphoma, congestive heart failure, lung cancer, and decreased mobility.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in a previous VA examination and missing records. The claim will be reconsidered with new evidence.
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