The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for eosinophil esophagitis and esophageal ulcer due to his statements about symptoms during service, including exposure to secondhand smoke on submarines. The Veteran must be afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found the Veteran's statements credible and remanded for further evaluation as he claimed his current esophageal disabilities resulted from or were aggravated by second-hand smoke while serving on submarines.
- Claimed conditions
- eosinophil esophagitis, esophageal ulcer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20045252
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 20045252.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for an esophageal ulcer and remanded the claim for further development regarding gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hiatal hernia, chronic diarrhea, esophageal ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and GERD due to a lack of adequate opinions regarding their etiology. The PACT Act requires VA to provide examinations and opinions in these cases.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the claim for esophageal ulcer and remanded the claims for eosinophil esophagitis and left hip disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there were errors in the original decision and remanded the cases for further development.
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