The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's liver conditions, including hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma. The VA is required to obtain a new posthumous medical opinion on these issues.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous medical opinions were inadequate and remanded for further clarification on whether the Veteran's hepatitis C first manifested in service or was otherwise related to service, as well as whether his hepatocellular carcinoma was causally related to service, including any in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis C, liver cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 27, 2021
- Citation
- 21076617
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 21076617.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim for major depression to encompass any mental health disability raised by the record and has remanded six issues for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for intestinal cancer, liver cancer, and a liver biopsy surgical scar as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected intestinal cancer.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of liver cancer has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for liver cancer and an increased rating for irritable bowel syndrome has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
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