The Veteran's appeal for additional VR&E services, including training to pursue a medical degree, was granted. The Board found that the Veteran had service-connected disabilities and functional limitations that made it necessary to change his rehabilitation goal from biomedical sciences to medicine.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD and GERD, significantly impacted his ability to find suitable employment in the fields he initially pursued (biomedical sciences).
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with residuals of traumatic brain injury, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Cervical spine degenerative disc disease, Migraines, Asthma, Right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, Pruritis ani with rectal bleeding
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23055308
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 23055308.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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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