The Board has ordered a remand due to deficiencies in the October 2020 VA examination report and for additional opinions on the etiology of GERD/hiatal hernia, including whether it is related to service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
The deciding factor: The examiner did not provide sufficient rationale for their opinions regarding the relationship between GERD/hiatal hernia and service, herbicide exposure, or service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)/hiatal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 10, 2021
- Citation
- 21007570
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 21007570.
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 determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to a failure to provide adequate pre-decisional duty to assist. The issues include gastroesophageal reflux disease, thoracolumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, left wrist disability (carpal tunnel syndrome), left knee disability, right knee disability, and right elbow disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected nausea of unclear etiology and unrelated constipation was granted a rating of 10 percent prior to January 21, 2016. Beginning January 21, 2016, the Veteran's service-connected GERD/hiatal hernia with nausea of unclear etiology and unrelated constipation was also granted a rating of 10 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to evaluate the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, as well as his service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)/hiatal hernia, left ear hearing loss, and right thumb fracture with residuals. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to determine the current severity of these disabilities and to assess whether they are related to active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's service record and concerns about the reliability of a previous medical opinion.
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