The Board has remanded two issues: the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for acid reflux disease and his claim for a higher initial rating for PVD of the LLE. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine the severity of these conditions without medication, and an addendum opinion on the severity of PVD prior to November 16, 2016.
The deciding factor: The Board found that remand was necessary due to improper consideration of ameliorative effects of medication in evaluating acid reflux disease and inadequate consideration of new medical evidence for PVD of the LLE.
- Claimed conditions
- acid reflux disease, peripheral vascular disease (PVD) of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19187129
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 various conditions, including a skin condition, GERD, OSA, PVD, glenohumeral arthritis, degenerative joint disease, and osteoarthritis, as there was no evidence of current disability or etiological relationship to the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as due to exposure to herbicide agents. Erectile dysfunction was also granted as secondary to the service-connected prostate cancer. The claims for acid reflux disease and asthma were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, ulnar neuropathy, right upper extremity, chronic right wrist disability, acid reflux disease, and PTSD. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the reopening of a claim for service connection for a back disorder, but denied claims for service connection for acid reflux disease, a dental disorder, and an anxiety disorder. The Board also denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for peptic ulcer disease.
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