The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral pes planus, low back disability, hypertension secondary to PTSD, GERD secondary to PTSD and duodenal ulcer, and obstructive sleep apnea secondary to PTSD and duodenal ulcer due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners provided opinions on whether there was a relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his claimed conditions but did not sufficiently address the probability of temporary aggravation by the service-connected conditions, which is required for secondary service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, low back disability, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2021
- Citation
- 21032060
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 21032060.
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 remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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