The Veteran's cause of death was malignant neoplasm of the colon. The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim for service connection, but the case is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected conditions and his death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address the Veteran's poorly controlled diabetes and hypertension, which may have contributed to his cause of death. The Board also found that the research cited by the Appellant’s representative on increased risk of colon cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus should be addressed.
- Claimed conditions
- Malignant neoplasm of the colon
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20014801
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20014801.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
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