The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives and insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's papillary thyroid cancer.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not consider relevant medical literature that links dioxin exposure to thyroid cancer, nor did they provide a clear opinion on the likely etiology of the Veteran's condition.
- Claimed conditions
- papillary thyroid cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2022
- Citation
- 22039127
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 22039127.
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 Veteran's papillary thyroid cancer and obstructive sleep apnea claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for papillary thyroid cancer, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's current condition and her military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for papillary thyroid cancer as it is not etiologically related to the Veteran's active military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted an effective date prior to August 6, 2014, for the grant of service connection for residuals of papillary thyroid cancer status post thyroidectomy. However, the claim is remanded due to a lack of adequate medical evidence regarding the Veteran's most recent treatment and when he last received radioactive iodine treatment.
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