The Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and an auditory condition are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. The VA is required to provide a new examination to address the Veteran’s contentions regarding his claimed conditions.
The deciding factor: The original opinion failed to consider the Veteran's use of NSAIDs for his service-connected spine disability, which may have caused his GERD and other gastrointestinal issues. Additionally, there was no discussion of the Veteran's auditory symptoms related to an auditory condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Auditory condition, including tinnitus, hearing loss, and dizziness
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2020
- Citation
- A20009227
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 A20009227.
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 appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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