The Board has remanded the claims for esophageal disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hernia disability, pancreatic disability, and Type II diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's service treatment records are incomplete, and further efforts must be made to obtain them. A VA examination is also needed to determine if the disabilities are related to his in-service exposure to commercial herbicides.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the complete set of service treatment records was not available and requested additional efforts to obtain them. The Veteran's claims for service connection due to herbicide exposure require further clarification regarding his claimed exposure to commercial herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hernia disability, pancreatic disability, Type II diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23044582
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23044582.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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.
- 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 Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied the claims for right knee disability, erectile dysfunction, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The decision is remanded for further action on these issues.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.
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