The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with a previous remand directive. The Veteran's kidney tumors are being reviewed again for potential service connection based on exposure at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide adequate rationale in their opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s kidney disabilities, specifically renal cysts and adrenal adenomas.
- Claimed conditions
- kidney tumors, renal cysts, adrenal adenomas
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20046174
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 20046174.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from July 15, 2014 to June 12, 2019. Service connection for renal cysts and other conditions was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical care related to ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, stroke, brain aneurysm, migraines, renal cysts, and gallbladder removal under the Camp Lejeune Family Member Program due to a lack of adequate notice and development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, chronic kidney disease, and renal cysts as the evidence did not support a direct link between these conditions and the Veteran's presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of renal cysts due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error and conflicting reports from the VA examiner.
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.