The Veteran's claims for service connection for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and dysphagia are being remanded due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examination. The Veteran needs to provide additional evidence, and a new examination is required to determine if his conditions are related to his period of service.
The deciding factor: The previous opinion was insufficient and did not adequately address the direct, presumptive, or secondary theories of causation for the Veteran's tonsillar cancer and dysphagia.
- Claimed conditions
- tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma, paralysis of the tenth cranial nerve (dysphagia)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20047868
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 20047868.
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 has granted service connection for the Veteran's tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma, finding that it was caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp LeJeune during his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and dysphagia as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma.,Service connection was established based on direct evidence, with no presumption of exposure or disease association.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and dysphagia due to service connection issues, specifically regarding herbicide exposure. The case will be reviewed again with a new medical opinion.
- Dismissed
The appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and tinnitus have been dismissed due to his death.
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