The Board has remanded several secondary service connection claims for the Veteran's head and neck cancer, including loss of taste, swallowing difficulty, a left neck scar, post-operative nerve involvement of the neck and throat (CN IX and XII), and post-operative nerve involvement of the jaw (CN VII). The remand is due to additional development needed regarding whether the Veteran acquired HPV in service or if his in-service throat infections rendered him more susceptible to contracting HPV.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a VA contracted examiner's opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's head and neck cancer was not sufficient, as it did not address potential risk factors for HPV infection and whether the Veteran's in-service throat infections may have contributed to his subsequent HPV infection.
- Claimed conditions
- cancer of the head and neck, loss of taste, swallowing difficulty, left neck scar, post-operative nerve involvement of the neck and throat (CN IX and XII), post-operative nerve involvement of the jaw (CN VII)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2024
- Citation
- 24017508
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 24017508.
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 TDIU and DEA claims were granted effective from May 6, 2020. His SMC claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not affect his ability to work.
- Denied
The Veteran was awarded service connection for allergic rhinitis based on the PACT Act, but an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2022, is not warranted.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection for left neck scar was granted, while the claims for left sciatic radicular pain, hypoesthesia, paresthesia of the left lower extremity, right ankle pain, and right wrist and hand pain were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, loss of taste, and loss of smell to obtain additional medical evidence.
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