The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to evaluate his service-connected lumbar spine disability and GERD. The TDIU claim will be held in abeyance pending disposition of the increased rating claims.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability and GERD, which may impact the initial ratings assigned. Good cause has been shown for these failures, allowing the Board to remand these issues for further examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease, lateral recess stenosis, neuroforaminal stenosis, spondylopathy, rotary scoliosis, grade I retrolisthesis L4 and L5, degenerative joint disease, dextroscoliosis and wedging compression T6, T12 of the lumbar spine, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2017
- Citation
- 1719793
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 1719793.
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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