The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of substantial compliance with its previous remand orders. The Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer, linked to in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, needs further examination and an addendum opinion from an appropriate examiner.
The deciding factor: The Board found the previous examiner’s opinion inadequate as it did not address the specific contaminants recognized by VA as present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune during the Veteran's time there or their possible etiological relationship to the Veteran's colon cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- colon cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20074440
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,680 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20074440.
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 remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and its relation to service. The Veteran's atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and colon cancer are being evaluated for their relationship to toxic exposure during service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for colon cancer and liver cancer is granted due to the relationship between his in-service toxic exposures, including burn pits. His liver cancer was found to be related to his now service-connected colon cancer.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer, finding that his current diagnosis of colon cancer is related to toxic exposures in service and resolving any reasonable doubt in his favor.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnosis and his military service, including any conceded exposure to toxic substances.
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