The Board has determined that additional examinations and opinions are needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's claims for service connection, as well as his increased evaluation claim for IBS-GERD. The issues include bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, neck disorder, spine disorder, and diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's claims require additional medical examination to address the etiology of his claimed conditions and determine if they are related to service or other factors. The issues do not involve a claim for service connection based on exposure to specific environments or substances (e.g., burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune).
- Claimed conditions
- irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, neck disorder, spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19189209
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 961 · Granted: 20% (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 19189209.
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's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability, endometriosis, thyroid condition, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The claims are now considered on their merits.
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