The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and gastrointestinal disorder, finding new and material evidence. The Veteran's current diagnoses of scoliosis, multi-level intervertebral disc changes of the thoracic spine, age-indeterminate fracture of T8 vertebral body, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia, esophagitis and gastritis raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.
The deciding factor: The new evidence includes diagnoses of scoliosis, multi-level intervertebral disc changes of the thoracic spine, age-indeterminate fracture of T8 vertebral body, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia, esophagitis and gastritis, which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the Veteran's claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracolumbar Spine Disability, Gastrointestinal Disorder (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2013
- Citation
- 1330411
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 1330411.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as there is no prior unadjudicated claim found in the record. The issue of TDIU was not raised until after a final rating decision on service connection for PTSD and TBI.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating and service connection for migraines, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and a gastrointestinal disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left shoulder rotator cuff disabilities, effective from March 25, 2008 and February 28, 2008 respectively. The thoracolumbar spine disability was also rated at 40 percent, but a temporary total disability rating for convalescence following a January 13, 2016 left shoulder surgery was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands all issues on appeal for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions and ensuring compliance with prior remand directives.
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