The Board has remanded the claims for rectal cancer and COPD due to exposure to tactical herbicide agents. The Veteran's federal records from Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center, as well as private treatment records, need to be obtained. A VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran's conditions are related to service or aggravated by a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The claims for rectal cancer and COPD were remanded due to incomplete evidence and the need for a medical opinion regarding their relationship to service.
- Claimed conditions
- rectal cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 2, 2023
- Citation
- 23042365
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 23042365.
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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- Denied
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- Dismissed
The appeal seeking readjudication of the previously denied claim for PTSD and multiple other conditions is dismissed due to a procedural defect. The Veteran's authorized representative at the time the appeal was submitted did not have the authority to file the appeal.
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