The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions and their relation to in-service chemical exposure. The Veteran served in Southwest Asia during service, and a December 2000 letter from the Department of Defense suggested he may have been exposed to chemical agents at Khamisiyah, Iraq.
The deciding factor: The Board found that previous VA medical opinions did not sufficiently address the Veteran's contention regarding chemical exposure in light of the December 2000 letter and remanded for additional opinions on the relationship between his conditions and service.
- Claimed conditions
- Colon cancer, Respiratory condition, Right Achilles tendon condition (growth), Left elbow condition (growth)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23001561
Veterans Law Judge
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23001561.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected colon cancer disability, finding that there is inadequate evidence to support a compensable rating prior to March 23, 2021 and no increase in rating thereafter.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer has been granted due to new and relevant evidence received since the previous denial. The Board finds that the Veteran's current disability is a condition that had its onset during his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including insomnia, is granted. The respiratory and eye conditions are remanded for further evaluation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, including restrictive lung disease, finding that his current diagnosis is related to his in-service symptoms and exposure. The Board also found no evidence of aggravation beyond its natural progression by military duties.
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