The claim for service connection for esophagitis is granted, and the appeal is remanded for further development regarding right ankle disability and allergic rhinitis/sinusitis.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since May 2010 rating decision relates to a previously unestablished element of the claim (nexus between current condition and service) and raises a reasonable probability of substantiating the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- esophagitis, allergic rhinitis (also claimed as sinusitis)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19112283
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,429 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19112283.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 initial disability rating for migraine headaches has been granted at 50 percent. The issue of service connection for hiatal hernia and esophagitis, related to PTSD, is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Granted
The Veteran's GERD with esophagitis is granted as secondary to his service-connected migraine headaches.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for esophagitis and gastric ulcer/gastritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active military service. The decision is based on evidence showing exposure to a toxic environment during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a stomach condition, including gastritis and esophagitis, due to an inadequate rationale in the previous medical opinion. A new examination is required to determine if any current stomach conditions are related to service, particularly exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune.
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