The Veteran's death was caused by a malignant neoplasm of the neck, metastatic to lymph nodes and bone. The Board finds that this evidence triggers VA’s duty to obtain a medical opinion to determine whether the malignant neoplasm of the neck is related to his active duty service, including exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam or an auto accident in 1976. Additionally, the Veteran's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema are being reviewed for their potential relation to service, specifically the 1976 auto accident. The Board also requests a medical opinion on whether the Veteran had ischemic heart disease that caused his death.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death was related to exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam and an auto accident in 1976, which may have contributed to his lung conditions and heart disease.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant neoplasm of the neck, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, ischemic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20037113
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 20037113.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as presumptively related to his service in the Gulf War, specifically aboard the USS Chanticleer and USS Mataco.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a heart disability prior to his death is granted as he was entitled to accrued benefits due to the September 1994 claim, which included ischemic heart disease, a covered herbicide disease.
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