The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of the Veteran's ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis, and gallstones.
The deciding factor: A medical opinion based solely on the absence of documentation in the record is inadequate, and the March 2014 VA examiner's rationale was insufficient because it did not take into account the Veteran's reports of symptoms and history.
- Claimed conditions
- gastrointestinal disorder, to include diverticulosis and ulcerative colitis, residuals of anal fissurectomy, residuals of hemorrhoids
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2022
- Citation
- 22000592
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.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection and a higher initial rating due to an error in providing notice of the right to a hearing.
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