The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issue of service connection for cause of death, including addressing the appellant's testimony regarding the Veteran's drinking habits and the onset of his psychiatric disorder. The Board also seeks clarification on the etiology of the Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver and whether PAD can be considered a compensable condition related to herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the remand instructions were not adequately addressed in the previous VA opinion, particularly regarding the appellant's testimony about the Veteran's drinking habits and the onset of his psychiatric disorder. The Board also requested clarification on the etiology of cirrhosis of the liver and whether PAD can be considered a compensable condition related to herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Prostate cancer, status post-external beam radiation, Erectile dysfunction, Cirrhosis of the liver, Peripheral artery disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2023
- Citation
- 23000617
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,549 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 23000617.
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
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