The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water and his cause of death from metastatic gallbladder cancer.
The deciding factor: The examiner needs to provide a clear opinion on whether the Veteran's primary sclerosing cholangitis developed or manifested secondary to his conceded exposure to contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, and if so, whether it also led to his gallbladder cancer/cholangiocarcinoma.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic gallbladder cancer, primary sclerosing cholangitis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 17, 2023
- Citation
- 23061506
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 23061506.
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 granted service connection for colitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and cholangiocarcinoma as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected vitiligo.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board grants entitlement to TDIU for the entire appeal period.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn their appeals for higher ratings and service connection for various conditions, including primary sclerosing cholangitis, chronic fatigue or insomnia, neck arthritis, and inflammation and painful joints in the hands and fingers.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for elevated liver enzymes, ulcerative colitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and stomach conditions due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. VA examinations are required to determine if these disabilities are related to service.
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