The Board has granted service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The Veteran's secondary claims for pneumonia, coronary artery disease, end stage renal disease, residuals of a bone marrow transplant, immune deficiency disorder, and chronic infections are remanded as the VA is required to obtain medical opinions regarding their relationship to his service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran had duties at Camp Lejeune for more than 30 days during his active duty service, presumptively exposing him to contaminated water. Service connection was granted for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma based on this exposure. However, secondary claims are remanded as VA is required to obtain medical opinions regarding the relationship of these conditions to his service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Claimed conditions
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Pneumonia, Coronary artery disease, End stage renal disease, Residuals of a bone marrow transplant, Immune deficiency disorder, Disorder manifesting in chronic infections
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 21, 2023
- Citation
- 23052108
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 23052108.
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 claim for service connection for heart condition was granted with an effective date of August 1, 2019. The decision is based on evidence showing exposure to diesel and gas fuel during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back pain and neck pain, finding no current disability. The claim for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is remanded due to inadequate consideration of all potential exposures.,The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) is also remanded due to a lack of development of the Veteran's therapist's records.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act, effective March 2, 2017.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since September 27, 2010. Additionally, he is in receipt of a 60 percent disability rating for coronary artery disease, which meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.
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