The Veteran's current gastrointestinal disorders were not caused by any in-service event and are not related to active service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that his current gastrointestinal disorders are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including medications taken for these disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no direct link between the Veteran's current gastrointestinal disorders and his period of service or any service-connected disability, including medication use. The examiner also indicated that the Veteran's sleep condition did not exist prior to service and was not aggravated by his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal disorder (including esophageal varices and hiatal hernia), Sleep condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 17, 2014
- Citation
- 1450879
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 1450879.
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: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hip replacements, and sleep condition was denied. The claims for bilateral hips and sleep disorders are remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating or establish service connection for any of the claimed conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, peripheral neuropathy, hallux valgus, and a sleep condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety and a sleep condition, finding that these conditions are symptoms of his already service-connected PTSD with opioid use disorder.,Both the anxiety and sleep condition were deemed to be secondary to the Veteran's PTSD with opioid use disorder.
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