The Veteran's appeals for service connection and higher initial ratings are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the existing evidence is insufficient to determine whether the Veteran has a separate and distinct headache disability, or if his acid reflux is related to service. The issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, TMJ syndrome, bilateral flat feet, lumbosacral strain, pansinusitis, and left ankle strain are also remanded due to insufficient evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- headache disability, acid reflux (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea, TMJ syndrome, bilateral flat feet, lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2021
- Citation
- 21010128
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 21010128.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims regarding entitlement to service connection for a headache disability and entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 29, 2014, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for right tibiofibular ligament strain are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
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