The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to address whether the Veteran's breathing disorder (including asthma) and GERD are related to his military service, specifically exposure to dust and pulmonary irritants during Desert Storm.
The deciding factor: The VA physician did not consider the Veteran’s lay statements regarding in-service exposure to dust and irritants, nor did they address the possibility that the Veteran's COPD is a result of pre-existing nonspecific gastritis diagnosed in 1996.
- Claimed conditions
- breathing disorder (including asthma), gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19144951
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 remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including GERD, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea, as additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemical agents during his service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, remanded claims for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), a mental health condition, and increased ratings for the Veteran's knee strain and scoliosis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for autoimmune pancreatitis, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), and hiatal hernia as they were not incurred in or caused by the Veteran's service, including toxic exposures.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for an additional VA examination to evaluate the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected GERD, in light of recent caselaw changes.
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