The Board has remanded the DIC claim due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and the need for a medical opinion. The accrued benefits and service-connected burial benefits claims are also being remanded as they are intertwined with the current issues on appeal.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is insufficient evidence to determine whether the Veteran's cholangiocarcinoma was related to his service, including potential exposure to contaminated water or parasites in Vietnam. The cause of death and accrued benefits claims require further development by obtaining a medical opinion from an oncologist regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Cholangiocarcinoma, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2022
- Citation
- 22030575
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 22030575.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for leukemia, characterized as CLL, was improperly severed. Service connection for T-cell LGL leukemia is restored. The severance of service connection for NHL is upheld.
- Granted
The Board has restored a 100 percent rating for the Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, effective April 1, 2025.
- Granted
The Veteran's SMC was granted at the intermediate level between 38 U.S.C. § 1114(m) and (n) due to additional disabilities including peripheral neuropathies, tinnitus, hearing loss, and lymphoma.
- Granted
The Veteran's non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma was granted a 100% rating effective February 8, 2019.
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