The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining a VA medical opinion on the cause of death and issuing a supplemental statement of the case for death pension benefits.
The deciding factor: The claims are currently in remand status due to the need for additional evidence and development as required by law.
- Claimed conditions
- Pulmonary fibrosis, Chronic respiratory failure, Chronic hepatic, Head and neck cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20030868
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 20030868.
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 has remanded the claim of entitlement to SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for the Veteran's spouse due to conflicting information in the June 2025 examination. A VA examination is needed to determine if the spouse requires regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability.,The Veteran did not meet the qualifications for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a respiratory disorder, including claims related to asbestos exposure and claimed ionizing radiation exposure. The evidence did not support a link between any in-service exposures and the current diagnoses.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and medical opinions to determine the severity of his back scars, lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and SMC based on aid and attendance.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.