The Board has remanded the case due to errors in addressing the duration of service at Camp Lejeune and missing VA treatment records. The appellant's squamous cell carcinoma is being considered for service connection based on exposure to contaminated water.
The deciding factor: Errors were identified in the determination regarding the duration of service at Camp Lejeune and the completeness of VA treatment records, necessitating further review.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23051100
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 23051100.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and polyneuropathy in all extremities, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or a service-connected condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new VA opinion to address whether the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus is related to his service, including exposure to warehouse chemicals and herbicide agents.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's condition and his military service or exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune.
- Granted
The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and secondary head and neck cancer are found to be etiologically related to his service, specifically exposure to toxic solvents during his military duties as a motor vehicle operator at Camp Lejeune.
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