The Board remands the claims for service connection as there is some evidence of a positive nexus, but it is not clear to an approximate as likely as not degree whether the claimed disabilities are attributable to service.
The deciding factor: A remand is necessary due to deficiencies in the record existing prior to the appealed AMA rating decision and to fully address the Veteran's theory of direct service connection, including as due to herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of Whipple surgery, Pancreatic cancer, Removal of the gall bladder associated with Whipple surgery, Shortening of the lower intestines associated with Whipple surgery, Gastrectomy associated with Whipple surgery, Increase in laxity of the supraumbilical anterior abdominal wall, as secondary to residuals of Whipple surgery, Removal of the appendix associated with Whipple surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25011933
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,858 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25011933.
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 has determined that the Veteran's death from pancreatic cancer may be service-connected due to environmental exposures in service, and thus remands for a medical opinion on this issue. The DIC benefits claim is also remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to pancreatic cancer, finding that it was caused by herbicide agent exposure and the service-connected diabetes mellitus. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted effective dates for awards of SMC at various rates, with the earliest being December 13, 2023. The SMC is awarded based on his service-connected conditions and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his pancreatic cancer was related to herbicide exposure during his service in Vietnam.
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