The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder due to mustard gas exposure as there was no in-service diagnosis of the condition and no evidence of mustard gas exposure. The Veteran's duodenal ulcer, diagnosed after discharge, did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.
The deciding factor: There is no in-service diagnosis or confirmed exposure to mustard gas that would support a claim for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal disorder, Duodenal ulcer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20078024
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 20078024.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of a gastrointestinal disorder as secondary to PTSD because the Veteran died before his hearing could be conducted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder is dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 2, 2023, for the establishment of service connection for tinnitus is denied.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.,The Veteran's claims for a headache disorder and hypertension are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a heart disorder is remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, including IBS and GERD, as it found no evidence of such disabilities in service or related to exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water. The Board also noted that any current gastrointestinal issues are not linked to service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by anoxic encephalopathy and cardiac arrest, with underlying causes related to his service-connected duodenal ulcer. The cause of death is remanded for further development including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding whether the use of PPIs contributed to his heart condition or aggravated it.
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