The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of a proper rationale for the medical opinion regarding the cause of death. The Veteran's surviving spouse is seeking service connection for the cause of his death, which includes multiple service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous medical review lacked an adequate rationale and ordered additional development including obtaining a new medical opinion from a qualified clinician.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute pancreatitis, Fracture of the right ankle with recurrent neuroma and osteomyelitis, Pulmonary embolus and thrombophlebitis of the right lower extremity, Right orchectomy, Gunshot wound to the right thigh with damage to Muscle Group XIV, Post-operative left inguinal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 8, 2022
- Citation
- 22033557
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 22033557.
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 denied a higher rating for the Veteran's post-operative left inguinal hernia and abdominal scar, but has remanded the issue of service connection for COPD due to a predecisional duty to assist error. The COPD claim is now pending with instructions on how to obtain a supplemental medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal seeking payment or reimbursement for the cost of unauthorized non-VA medical expenses incurred on February 11, 2022, under the FMP is remanded due to a need for additional evidence and an advisory medical opinion.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a neck disability and remanded claims for asthma, pulmonary embolism, thyroid cancer, acute pancreatitis, breast cancer, hypertension, left knee condition, right knee condition, and an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to be related to his Vietnam service. However, the medical evidence does not support that it caused or contributed to his acute pancreatitis.,There is no evidence of ischemic heart disease in the Veteran's records, and he did not have any history of alcohol abuse. The examiner opined that there was no link between presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune (CLJ) and the Veteran's acute pancreatitis.,The medical opinions were inconclusive regarding whether the Veteran's surgeries caused or contributed to his acute pancreatitis.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.