The Veteran's claim for service connection for bronchitis is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for periodontal disease (claimed as gingivitis) is denied because it is not a compensable disability under VA regulations.,The Veteran's right knee disorder and digestive disorder, to include pancreatitis and cholecystectomy residuals, are remanded for further development including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.,Service connection for the digestive disorder (claimed as pancreatitis and cholecystectomy residuals) is also remanded.
The deciding factor: There is no current diagnosis of bronchitis or any other respiratory disorder in the Veteran's claims file, which precludes service connection.,Periodontal disease is not a compensable disability under VA regulations, thus denying service connection for this condition.,The right knee and digestive disorders are remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine their etiology based on the current record.,Service connection for the digestive disorder (claimed as pancreatitis and cholecystectomy residuals) cannot be granted due to lack of a current diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- bronchitis, periodontal disease (claimed as gingivitis), right knee disorder, digestive disorder, to include pancreatitis and cholecystectomy residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20024342
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 20024342.
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 Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will need an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his parachute jumps during service.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and obstructive sleep apnea, but denied his claim for right knee disorder. The Board also remanded the cases of left leg disorder and lumbar spine disorder.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and a right knee disorder. The evidence did not meet the criteria for direct service connection as there was no in-service diagnosis or continuity of symptomatology.
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