The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his stomach and esophageal disabilities, as well as secondary service connection for stomach surgery.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner’s opinion is inadequate because it did not consider the lay evidence of record reflecting symptoms persisting since discharge from duty.
- Claimed conditions
- stomach or esophageal disability, esophagitis, esophageal stricture, esophageal diverticulum
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20032835
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20032835.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's gastritis and esophageal stricture are granted as service-connected.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial disability rating for migraine headaches has been granted at 50 percent. The issue of service connection for hiatal hernia and esophagitis, related to PTSD, is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia is rated at a 30 percent disability rating, effective March 12, 2021.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's GI disorders are related to his service, but the AOJ needs to determine which specific deployments and activities caused these conditions. The case is being remanded for further development.
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