The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion on whether the Veteran's oropharyngeal cancer was at least as likely as not due to his exposure to herbicide agents. The SMC-AA case is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA failed to provide a medical opinion addressing the appellant's contention that the Veteran's death from head and neck cancer was related to his service-connected exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- head and neck cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2021
- Citation
- 21031886
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 21031886.
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 Veteran's death was due to carcinoma esophagus, with head and neck cancer noted as significant conditions. The Board found that the evidence does not support a connection between in-service herbicide agent exposure and the Veteran's cause of death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's head and neck cancer, diagnosed as mammary analogue secretory carcinoma, was not incurred in service and is not presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's cause of death, head and neck cancer, was previously granted service connection. Therefore, the Board has granted service connection for the cause of death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death due to metastatic skin cancer and head and neck cancer, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to military service or any service-connected disabilities.
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