The Board has remanded two issues: one regarding service connection for a throat disorder secondary to the Veteran's service-connected GI disability, and another regarding an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his duodenal ulcer. The Veteran needs to be examined to determine the current severity of his GI disability and any related throat disorder.
The deciding factor: The anatomical proximity between the throat disorder and the service-connected GI disability suggests a reasonable possibility that the throat disorder could be secondary to it, necessitating further examination and evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- throat disorder, duodenal ulcer, post gastrectomy syndrome, bile reflux gastritis, hiatal hernia with GERD
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 30, 2018
- Citation
- 18146037
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 18146037.
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 Board has decided that the Veteran's throat disorder claim should be remanded for further examination and opinion. The gastroesophageal reflux disease with achalasia claim is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including adjustment disorder, benign skin lesions, actinic keratosis, poikiloderma, porokeratosis, Parkinson's disease, benign prostatic hypertrophy, hypertension, increased urinary frequency, diverticulosis, duodenal ulcer, and bilateral cataracts are all granted due to exposure to herbicide agents, mustard gas, and ionizing radiation during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and duodenal ulcer have been dismissed as the appeal was made concurrently with a previously pending supplemental claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence after a prior denial. The Board finds that VA examinations and medical opinions are necessary to properly determine entitlement to service connection.
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