The claim for hepatitis C has been reopened, but service connection is denied. The claims for GERD and IBS related to herbicide exposure or PTSD are remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the last final denial relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for hepatitis C.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21070224
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 21070224.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of September 2, 2020, for the grant of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but denied a higher initial rating and TDIU.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, Barrett's esophagus, and obstructive sleep apnea but dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as there was no competent or credible evidence of a current diagnosis during the appellate period.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as there was no current diagnosis of IBS in the medical records.
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