The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for HPV, metastatic head, neck, and oropharyngeal carcinoma, metastatic liver cancer, and metastatic bone cancer due to a duty to assist error. The VA is required to obtain an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's HPV was incurred in active military service through sexual contact during his active service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA did not provide adequate medical examination or opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's HPV infection, which could have been incurred in service due to sexual contact while serving in Panama.
- Claimed conditions
- Human Papillomavirus infection (HPV), Metastatic head, neck, and oropharyngeal carcinoma, Metastatic liver cancer, Metastatic bone cancer
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2023
- Citation
- A23027831
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 A23027831.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's eligibility for specially adapted housing is granted due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically prostate cancer and metastatic bone cancer, which have rendered him unable to walk.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of cause of death to obtain additional evidence regarding the Veteran's hepatitis B and its relation to his service, including potential herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, concluding that his liver cancer and metastatic bone cancer were not caused by or aggravated by his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death was related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service, including Agent Orange.
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