The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for chronic lymphocytic leukemia to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's condition is related to in-service exposure to toxins, including jet fuel aboard the USS Forrestal.
The deciding factor: The failure to obtain an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's CLL was related to his exposure to toxins in service is a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25029627
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 granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, coronary artery disease with atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus type II, and Parkinson's disease based on presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and a skin disorder due to an improper concurrent election. The effective dates for the lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathies, and TDIU were denied as they did not meet the criteria for earlier effective dates.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for restoration of a compensable evaluation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and service connection for chronic kidney disease.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which is presumed to be a result of herbicide exposure during the Veteran's military service.
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