The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing records related to a colonoscopy request and cancellation. The appellant's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for rectal damage, including colon perforation and colectomy, is now pending again.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the requested treatment records have not been associated with the claims file and ordered them to be sought out.
- Claimed conditions
- rectal damage, colon perforation, colectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19183496
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,020 · Granted: 19% (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 19183496.
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 Veteran's ulcerative colitis and colectomy are remanded for a VA TERA examination to determine if they are related to service, particularly his exposure to asbestos and other toxins while serving as a Navy radioman.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and the etiology of the Veteran's colectomy. The AOJ is instructed to gather information about PFAS presence at Camp Lejeune, schedule a VA examination, and consider all evidence in deciding service connection.
- Denied
The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for rectal damage, colon perforation, and colectomy due to a finding that the Veteran's additional disability was not proximately caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on part of VA.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for colon perforation has been granted, and the issue of service connection for diabetes, lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disability, and hearing loss is remanded.
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