The Board remands the claim for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death, related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents and other toxic materials at Fort Detrick, for further development under the PACT Act.
The deciding factor: The prior VA opinion was inadequate as it did not address all the appellant's contentions regarding potential non-herbicide agent chemical and biological exposures. An addendum opinion is required to comply with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1168, including providing an opinion regarding the combined effects of the Veteran's potential TERA exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- Lung cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 16, 2024
- Citation
- A24066186
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's liver, lung, brain, and bone cancers in relation to his service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for COPD, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of death, finding that toxic exposure during service contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was not persuasive evidence linking his lung cancer to his military service.
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