The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated VA treatment records and conduct further examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any gastrointestinal condition, including whether it is related to service-connected disabilities or obesity.
The deciding factor: The opinions in the current record are insufficient to decide the claim due to the need for additional examination and consideration of various theories of entitlement.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), Hiatal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20069049
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, a left knee disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia, and diverticulitis. A 30 percent rating was also granted for the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder effective February 26, 2021.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral cataracts and noncompensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and maxillary and frontal sinusitis, while granting a 30 percent rating for hiatal hernia.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder condition diagnosed as bicipital tendonitis and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and an initial rating of 30 percent for sinusitis. The claims for acid reflux, hiatal hernia, and esophagitis were remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits was granted from March 6, 2018.
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