The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for GERD/hiatal hernia, IBS/diverticulosis, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension due to the need for additional development. The Veteran's attorney submitted medical literature that needs to be considered in determining whether these conditions are related to his service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder or other factors.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not have an opportunity to address all relevant medical literature provided by the Veteran's attorney, which may affect the determination of service connection for the claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- GERD/hiatal hernia, IBS/diverticulosis, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19103884
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 granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
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