The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of medical opinion and consideration of prior service. The claim for service connection for cause of death is being reconsidered.
The deciding factor: The decision on appeal did not obtain a medical opinion as required by law, and it was unclear if all periods of service were considered, including any potential toxic exposure risk activities before June 16, 1969.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26007360
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 A26007360.
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 squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil is granted service connection due to herbicide exposure during service. The cause of death, metastatic head cancer, is also granted as it was a contributory cause.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil, finding that there was no evidence linking the cancer to his military service or toxic exposures.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil, finding that both conditions are at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's active duty service. The claimant's significant exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam is considered relevant evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil and a back disorder due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran served in Vietnam, including with the Combat Action Ribbon.
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