The Veteran seeks service connection for pharyngeal cancer, which he contends is related to in-service radiation exposure. The Board has determined that a VA examination and medical nexus opinion are needed before the rating decision on appeal can be adjudicated.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current pharyngeal cancer may be associated with reported in-service toxic exposures, including radiation and various aviation-related toxins, but no such examination or opinion was provided before the March 2025 rating decision.
- Claimed conditions
- Pharyngeal cancer (squamous cell cancer of the head and neck)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Ionizing radiation
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2026
- Citation
- A26016690
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 A26016690.
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
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- Granted
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