The Veteran is seeking service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that he claims was caused or made worse by his service-connected adenocarcinoma of the cecal colon and/or as secondary to colon cancer surgery. The Board has ordered additional development, including obtaining medical records from Dr. A.C. and requesting an addendum from him.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no direct link between colon cancer surgery and GERD in the literature, and opined that the Veteran's GERD was not caused by or a result of his colon cancer or the treatment thereof, nor was it aggravated by it.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Adenocarcinoma of the cecal colon, Right hemicolectomy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2011
- Citation
- 1136491
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 1136491.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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