The Board has remanded the claims for GERD, dementia with memory loss, and PTSD to obtain additional medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to service-connected non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.,For GERD, the VA examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether it was at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by the service-connected condition. For dementia with memory loss and PTSD, the examiner should address the Veteran's reported stressors in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous opinions were inadequate because they did not provide an opinion on whether the conditions were aggravated by the service-connected non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Dementia with memory loss, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19114788
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,062 · Granted: 34% (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 19114788.
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 Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
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