The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to in-service exposure to asbestos and/or radiation, as well as residuals of rectal cancer including a bladder fistula. The decision is pending further investigation into the Veteran's exposure history.
The deciding factor: Further investigation is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to asbestos during his military service which could impact the determination of service connection for rectal cancer and its residuals.
- Claimed conditions
- rectal cancer, bladder fistula
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 17, 2022
- Citation
- 22029084
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 22029084.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's rectal cancer is related to his active duty service and exposure to Agent Orange. The Board granted service connection for the condition.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for rectal cancer and the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for colorectal cancer, finding that the evidence did not establish a chronic condition in service or a relationship to service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's rectal cancer is related to his presumed in-service exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. The decision grants service connection for this condition.
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