The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to clival chordoma. The case must be returned for an addendum VA opinion that addresses whether there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the condition preexisted any period of active duty service, specifically from May 1963 to November 1966, June 1982 to December 1982, and February 2003 to December 2003. The opinion must also determine if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the preexisting condition did not permanently increase in severity as a result of any subsequent period of active service.
The deciding factor: The Board found the previous VA examination inadequate due to its lack of finding regarding aggravation, requiring an addendum opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Clival chordoma
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21062793
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,164 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 21062793.
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).
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