The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's breast cancer was related to her exposure to herbicide agents during service.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the last denial suggests a possible link between the Veteran's breast cancer and her in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The Board finds this new evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- carcinoma of the breast with metastatic disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 28, 2023
- Citation
- 23041723
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 23041723.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, carcinoma of the breast with metastatic disease, is related to her service and specifically to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange). The Board granted service connection for the cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted as his PTSD is now considered service-connected.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left leg disability is reopened, and the appeal is granted.
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.