The Veteran's gastrointestinal stromal tumor is being remanded for a VA medical opinion to determine if it was caused by in-service herbicide agent exposure.
The deciding factor: A VA medical opinion is needed to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s gastrointestinal stromal tumor, including whether it was caused by presumed herbicide agent exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21002198
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 21002198.
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 Veteran's cause of death, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, is presumed to be related to in-service exposure to burn pits and other toxins during his service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's gastrointestinal stromal tumor is considered service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not presented. The Veteran's claim for a gastrointestinal stromal tumor was also denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis or exposure.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.