The Veteran's service connection claims for vitiligo, allergic rhinitis, low back disability, left hip disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and migraines with nausea and dizziness are all denied. The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to establish service connection for these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis is also denied. The evidence indicates that her allergic rhinitis manifested as allergic rhinitis without polyps, but with greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides.,Service connection claims for a low back disability and left hip disability are remanded. A VA examiner will be asked to determine whether it is clear and unmistakable that the Veteran's preexisting scoliosis was not aggravated beyond its natural progression by her active duty military service.,The Veteran's claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and migraines with nausea and dizziness are also remanded. A VA examiner will be asked to determine whether these conditions were incurred in, or related to, her active duty service.,PACT Act exposure is not applicable to any of the claims.,No rating assigned as all issues are currently denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish a nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and her period of service. The August 2019 VA medical opinion indicated that the Veteran's vitiligo is less likely than not incurred in or caused by her period of active duty service, including any environmental exposures during her service in Southwest Asia.,The evidence indicates that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis manifested as allergic rhinitis without polyps, but with greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides. A 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis is appropriate based on this finding.,A VA examiner will be asked to determine whether it is clear and unmistakable that the Veteran's preexisting scoliosis was not aggravated beyond its natural progression by her active duty military service. The remand is necessary as the May 2020 VA medical opinion used an incorrect standard for determining in-service aggravation of the Veteran's scoliosis.,A VA examiner will be asked to determine whether both the etiology and pathophysiology of the Veteran's GERD and migraines with nausea and dizziness are partially understood or fully understood. The remand is necessary as these conditions were not previously assessed by a VA examiner in this case.,PACT Act exposure is not applicable to any of the claims, so no further action is required regarding PACT Act exposure.,No rating assigned as all issues are currently denied.
- Claimed conditions
- vitiligo, allergic rhinitis, low back disability, left hip disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), migraines with nausea and dizziness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23021795
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 23021795.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disability, abdominal hernia, GERD, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral foot disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during the appellant's period of active duty.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for asthma and a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities were dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for eczema was denied, while the claim of entitlement to allergic rhinitis was not addressed as it pertained to different issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic lower back pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, neck pain, and GERD.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of SMC based on aid and attendance.
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