The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion and unresolved issues regarding service connection for the cause of death. The appellant is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for stomach cancer, which was not related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Service connection for the cause of death remains in dispute.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a new medical opinion is necessary due to deficiencies in the previous opinion and unresolved issues regarding service connection for the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- stomach cancer, metastatic cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20039341
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 20039341.
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.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's throat cancer, which was caused by asbestos exposure in service, led to his fatal metastatic cancer. The VA is instructed to obtain a new VA opinion addressing these theories.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be stomach cancer, but the Board found no evidence linking it to his service or any service-connected conditions. The claim for service connection is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the appellant's claims for accrued benefits due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's cancers and his service-connected disabilities, specifically gastritis with hyperacidity and coronary artery disease. The VA is required to obtain medical opinions on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right kidney cancer, stomach cancer, and bone cancer.
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