The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's thyroid cancer and his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition as secondary to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the low bar of McLendon v. Nicholson was met, requiring a VA examination and opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's thyroid cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- Thyroid cancer
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2026
- Citation
- A26000745
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 A26000745.
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 claim for an earlier effective date (EED) for service connection of thyroid cancer is granted, with the EED set at September 13, 2018.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer with hypothyroidism was granted, and the effective date is set at March 12, 2019.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's thyroid cancer is not related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.
- 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.
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