The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for malignant melanoma, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer due to inadequate opinions in previous remands. The claims are remanded for further development including obtaining medical opinions on direct and secondary service connection.
The deciding factor: The opinions provided were insufficient as they did not consider the presumed herbicide exposure or provide a clear rationale for why the conditions may be related to service, even if not presumptively linked.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant melanoma, kidney cancer, bladder cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2021
- Citation
- 21032696
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 21032696.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for kidney cancer and chronic kidney disease due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ is required to conduct further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a qualified VA examiner regarding the Veteran's exposure to in-service toxic exposures involving fire smoke.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's prostate and bladder cancer rating was reduced from 100% to 40%, effective December 1, 2025. The Veteran withdrew his appeal at a Board hearing held in April 2026.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney cancer and lung cancer due to a lack of adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of his kidney cancer, which is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure. The claim for lung cancer is inextricably intertwined with the kidney cancer claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding secondary service connection for kidney cancer, specifically whether it is aggravated by service-connected hypertension and diabetes. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with new medical opinions addressing this issue.
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