The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of his MDS and potential AML and b-cell leukemia, given his service in Vietnam and presumed herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not conclusively establish whether the Veteran has been diagnosed with b-cell leukemia or AML, but it raises the possibility that he may have had these conditions related to his service. The MDS is linked to presumed herbicide exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- b-cell leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2024
- Citation
- 24005703
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 24005703.
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 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) due to presumed exposure to environmental hazards during military service, specifically burn pits. The Veteran's MDS is considered presumptively related to his Gulf War service.
- Granted
Service connection for MDS is granted, and a higher initial disability rating of 40 percent for the service-connected back disability is also granted. Other issues on appeal are resolved in favor of the appellant.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and thus service connection for MDS is granted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
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