The Veteran's cause of death was listed as metastatic adenocarcinoma, which the Board finds may be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case is remanded for a VA opinion on whether the diabetes contributed substantially or materially to the cause of death.
The deciding factor: The March 2020 physician's statement and clinical studies indicate that diabetes mellitus can be an independent risk factor for liver cancer, which may have contributed to the Veteran’s metastatic adenocarcinoma.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic adenocarcinoma, severe septic shock
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20033713
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 20033713.
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 granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his exposure to asbestos during active duty was a contributing factor.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's metastatic adenocarcinoma is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. As a result, service connection for this condition is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's cause of death was caused by or contributed to by his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an open medical question regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes was a contributory factor in his death, and for obtaining an opinion from an oncologist on this issue.
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