The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsillar fossa and his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not address the May 2015 VA treatment record which suggested a possible link between Agent Orange exposure and tonsil cancer, despite it being anatomically close to laryngeal and lung cancers associated with Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsillar fossa
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20074668
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
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.