The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and an opinion on whether his Crohn's disease is related to service or exposure to herbicides. The issues of secondary service connection for valvular heart disease with atrial flutter will also be addressed.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has not established direct service connection for Crohn's disease, but the claim remains inextricably intertwined with his claims for secondary service connection for valvular heart disease with atrial flutter. The need for a VA examination to determine whether Crohn's disease is related to service or exposure to herbicides necessitates remand.
- Claimed conditions
- Crohn's disease, valvular heart disease with atrial flutter
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2015
- Citation
- 1503558
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 1503558.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected Crohn's disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and ileocecal valve scarring.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the claims for service connection must be remanded due to inadequate examinations and opinions. The Veteran's skin disorder, respiratory disorder, Crohn's disease, eye disorder, and migraines are all being reviewed again with new medical evaluations.
- Granted
The Veteran's Crohn's disease is rated at 60 percent, effective from the date of the rating decision on appeal.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable from performing all forms of substantially gainful employment that are consistent with his education and occupational experience, granting entitlement to TDIU.
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