The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran served in Vietnam with boots on the ground and within Blue Water offshore of Vietnam, which could affect his eligibility for presumptive service connection for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
The deciding factor: Service connection is based on presumed exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange. The Board needs more information about the Veteran's service location to determine if he qualifies for this presumption.
- Claimed conditions
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20047335
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 20047335.
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 found that the RO committed pre-decisional procedural error by severing service connection for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma without considering new evidence presented at a virtual Board hearing. The matter is being remanded to allow the AOJ to consider this new evidence and determine if severance of service connection is warranted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides while serving aboard naval vessels near the Republic of Vietnam. The appropriate development must be conducted to verify this exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma was not service connected as it did not have its onset in service and is not otherwise related to service, including herbicide exposure. The Board found no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange during service.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
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