The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for liver soft tissue carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) as a result of herbicide exposure due to incomplete medical records and insufficient VA etiology opinions. The case is being sent back for further development, including obtaining additional relevant records and seeking an independent medical expert opinion.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the current VA etiology opinions are lacking in rationale and complexity, necessitating a more detailed examination by an independent medical expert to address the specific issues raised in the Veteran's claims.
- Claimed conditions
- liver soft tissue carcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2022
- Citation
- 22027918
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 22027918.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for esophageal cancer and remanded the claim for further development regarding a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions and new evidence. The Veteran is presumed exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam, but his GIST does not meet the definition of a soft tissue sarcoma.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury, disease, or exposure that would support these claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the RO failed to provide proper VCAA notice and is therefore remanding the case for further action.
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