The Board has decided to remand the case for obtaining missing service treatment records and an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the gallbladder disorder.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional information is needed, specifically the Veteran's complete service treatment records from his first period of service in the U.S. Air Force and any service treatment records from a May 2003 deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- Claimed conditions
- gallbladder disorder; status post cholecystectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 17, 2023
- Citation
- 23022505
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 23022505.
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 the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gallbladder disorder; status post cholecystectomy, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or radiation exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including a radiation dose assessment and an opinion from VA on whether in-service ionizing radiation exposure caused or contributed to the Veteran's gallbladder disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.