The Veteran's private medical expenses incurred from July 22, 2010 to July 24, 2010 at the Ocala Regional Medical Center were not authorized by VA and did not meet the criteria for payment or reimbursement under VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The services provided did not involve a medical emergency of such severity that delay would have been hazardous to life or health, nor was there evidence of feasible availability of VA facilities.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal varices
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2014
- Citation
- 1411594
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1411594.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and its secondary effects on other conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, and splenomegaly.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver, hypertension, lupus, esophageal varices status post ligation, and kidney stones and urinary tract infection are all found to be related to her service-connected Hepatitis C. The Board has determined that further development is needed for the remaining issues.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for liver cancer, diabetes mellitus, esophageal varices, and hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver. The appeal for cirrhosis of the liver was dismissed due to a full and complete grant of benefits. Service connection for GERD and a gastrointestinal disorder was denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hepatic steatosis and esophageal varices to obtain a medical opinion from an examiner well-versed in Camp Lejeune contaminated water matters.
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