The Veteran's appeal for service connection for headaches, claimed as aneurysms and calcifications of the brain, is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are related to his period of active duty. The appeal for service connection for large duodenum ulcer/peptic ulcer, to include as due to service-connected disabilities, is also remanded due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether this condition is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and GERD with cricopharyngeal achalasia.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided do not adequately address the etiology of the Veteran's headaches and large duodenum ulcer/peptic ulcer, specifically whether these conditions are related to his period of active duty or service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- aneurysms, calcifications of the brain, large duodenum ulcer/peptic ulcer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2021
- Citation
- 21009087
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 21009087.
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 remands the claims for aneurysms and carotid artery dissection, to include as secondary to hypertension, for additional development of evidence.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for arthritis of the legs and retina myopathy have been dismissed. The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease due to herbicide exposure, but has remanded issues related to acquired psychiatric disability, dysarthria, dementia, aneurysms, COPD, and enlarged prostate.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's headaches, which he claims are related to aneurysms and calcifications of the brain that developed during service. The decision is based on direct service connection due to the presumption of soundness at entry into service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for calcifications of the brain, large duodenum ulcer/peptic ulcer, swallowing disability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to service connection. The Veteran's current disabilities are being evaluated again as they may be related to his military service.
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