The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disabilities resulting from a colonoscopy and subsequent care in October 2012 at the Cleveland VA Medical Center. The Board finds that further examination and development are needed to determine if these conditions were caused by VA's treatment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran developed several new conditions following his October 2012 colonoscopy, including pneumonia, PTSD with anxiety and depression, dysphagia, C. diff, voice changes, unstable bowels, and digestive issues with abdominal pain. The Board needs to determine if these were caused by VA's treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- pneumonia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with anxiety and depression, dysphagia, Clostridium difficile infection (C. diff), voice changes, unstable bowels, digestive issues with abdominal pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2018
- Citation
- 1817870
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 1817870.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pneumonia, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and asthma as causes of death. The evidence did not support finding that these conditions were related to his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing records and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims will be readjudicated after obtaining any necessary records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a duty to assist error. The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder claim will be reconsidered with the inclusion of all relevant private medical records.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hiatal hernia with gastritis and dysphagia, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service.
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