The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability is denied as it is based on the same factual basis as his previously denied head injury claim. The claim to reopen this issue has been denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for PTSD is granted, with a 10% rating over the entire appeal period.,Service connection for duodenal ulcer disease with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is granted at a 20% rating over the entire appeal period. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating is remanded as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient evidence indicating its onset during active service.
The deciding factor: The new and material evidence submitted does not relate to the nexus between the Veteran’s current headache disability and his active service. The previous denial of service connection was based on lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,PTSD is a recognized combat-related disorder, and the Veteran's statements alone are sufficient to establish the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressor.,The Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they do not include anemia or weight loss, nor recurrent incapacitating episodes. The current 10% rating is appropriate given his moderate manifestations of GERD.,There is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran’s sleep apnea began during active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Headache, Duodenal Ulcer with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Sleep Apnea
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19155493
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 19155493.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence to readjudicate the claim for service connection for a headache disability. The case is being remanded for further review.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 27, 2019 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no earlier claim document in the claims file and the Veteran did not timely perfect an appeal.
- Denied
The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, memory loss/memory problems, chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties/sleep disturbances, and sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for service connection for residuals of testicular denervation and varicosectomy has been granted.
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