The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease is granted as secondary to his service-connected back disability.,Service connection for anxiety is denied because it is considered a symptom of the already service-connected PTSD.,The Board has ordered another VA examination to determine if Bell's Palsy and GERD are related to service or service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The September 2021 VA examiner concluded the cervical spine DDD is causally related to his service-connected back disability, resulting in overuse and degeneration.,The November 2019 and September 2021 VA opinions indicated the Veteran's anxiety is subsumed within his PTSD rating, making a separate anxiety disorder unrelated to service or service-connected disabilities.,The July 2017 VA examiner stated Bell's Palsy had its onset during service but was not related to PTSD. The Board ordered another examination to determine if it is related to other service-connected conditions.,The July 2017 VA examiner indicated GERD is not related to PTSD, citing common risk factors for the disorder (e.g., obesity and diet). Another VA opinion is needed to assess its relation to service or service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), Anxiety, Bell's Palsy, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2022
- Citation
- 22059448
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 22059448.
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 Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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