The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error and insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's cause of death is pancreatic cancer, which may be related to in-service exposure to burn pit vapors. Service connection for this condition is presumed based on herbicide exposure. However, there are questions about whether service-connected disabilities contributed to his death or if the initial findings during service were related to his later diagnosis.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the medical opinions provided by VA did not adequately address the Veteran's in-service toxic exposure and its relationship to his pancreatic cancer, as well as the potential contribution of his service-connected disabilities to his cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- pancreatic cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26008187
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 A26008187.
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 Veteran's cause of death was not caused by a disability incurred or aggravated in service, and the Board denied the claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the appeal for accrued benefits and has remanded the issue of service connection for cause of death, as there was a duty to assist error related to obtaining a medical nexus opinion regarding in-service herbicide agent exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for liver cancer, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are attributable to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's spouse is seeking to be substituted as the appellant for claims of service connection filed by the Veteran in August 2017. The AOJ has not yet determined whether she meets the requirements to substitute, and this issue must be remanded.
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