The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the neck is under review, but his service connection claim remains pending.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner’s opinion was found to be insufficient due to internal inconsistencies and lack of biopsy results.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, malignant melanoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20063737
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 20063737.
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 malignant melanoma, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to his active duty service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for her scars has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of this claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA did not obtain all necessary service treatment records and failed to provide a VA medical opinion addressing the cause of death. The claim is being remanded for these actions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 for pars planitis is dismissed, and he is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of his left eye.
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