The Board remands the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure and pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151, for further development.
The deciding factor: An adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's colorectal cancer and presumed herbicide exposure is not of record, and a medical opinion addressing whether VA treatment was the result of fault on VA's part in furnishing care, medical or surgical treatment, or examination is also needed.
- Claimed conditions
- Colorectal cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2024
- Citation
- A24068427
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service. The claims for colorectal cancer, sinusitis, and non-allergic rhinitis were remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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