The Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastric disorder (previously 'heartburn') is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.
The deciding factor: There is no current evidence of a diagnosed gastric disorder in the claims file, and the Veteran's testimony regarding his symptoms does not meet the threshold requirement for service connection due to lack of medical expertise.
- Claimed conditions
- gastric disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2021
- Citation
- A21017661
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 A21017661.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and gastric disorder. The VA will provide a supplemental opinion for these issues.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed as he withdrew his claims. The Board found no current disabilities relevant to the testicle and gastric disorders, thus denying these claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA opinions obtained in August 2021 were inadequate and remanded for additional development. The claims are now being returned to the AOJ for further action.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of evidence, particularly regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's digestive system symptoms. The issues of service connection for a gastric disorder including as secondary to hepatitis and entitlement to an increased rating for hepatitis are inextricably intertwined.
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