The Board has remanded the issues of severance for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and generalized anxiety disorder. The Veteran's Barrett’s esophagus is also being remanded for a new VA examination to determine its relationship to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the issues are inextricably intertwined due to the Veteran's assertion that his Barrett’s esophagus is secondary to his generalized anxiety disorder, which was previously granted service connection. The severance of this service connection could affect the validity of the Barrett’s esophagus claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Barrett’s esophagus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103396
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 remanded the case for further development and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's GERD/Barrett’s esophagus is related to his military service, including as due to a service-connected duodenal ulcer.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of Barrett’s esophagus was dismissed due to the death of the claimant.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's Barrett’s esophagus is being remanded for further examination to determine if it is related to his service, specifically the period of service at Camp Lejeune where he was exposed to contaminated water.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, including GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, IBS, hiatal hernia, and gastritis. The decision finds that the Veteran's symptoms began in service and are at least as likely as not related to his active duty.
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