The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue pharynx, including its relation to herbicide exposure in service and tobacco dependency.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not provide sufficient or conclusive opinions on whether the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma is related to his presumed herbicide exposure in service, HPV diagnosis, or tobacco dependency. The Board requires additional medical opinions addressing these issues.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue pharynx, throat cancer, oropharyngeal neoplasms
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2021
- Citation
- 21028057
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21028057.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the appellant's request for direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in an April 2025 rating decision, as the decision was not a result of a valid appeal and did not award any past-due benefits.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for lung cancer is denied. The claim for throat cancer is granted, and the Veteran is awarded a TDIU rating prior to August 10, 2022.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tonsillar cancer (claimed as throat and respiratory cancer) due to a lack of evidence showing that his condition began during active service or is related to an in-service injury or disease, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for throat cancer service connection was dismissed due to their death during the appeal process.
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