The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate, and thus remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, including its relationship to service-connected PTSD and exposure to burn pits during service in the Persian Gulf.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided were insufficient due to lack of rationale linking the Veteran's symptoms to his service-connected conditions or to environmental exposures. A new examination is required for a more informed opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal disorder, Nonspecific gastritis with foveolar hyperplasia, Duodenitis, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), Esophagitis, Schatzki ring stricture
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2023
- Citation
- 23063450
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 23063450.
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 Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed as moot due to her already receiving the maximum allowable benefits.,Earlier effective dates are denied for flexion impairment of the left knee, GERD, and bilateral pes planus.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of a gastrointestinal disorder as secondary to PTSD because the Veteran died before his hearing could be conducted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in the duty to assist and insufficient opinions regarding service connection for a gastrointestinal disability. The Veteran's symptoms include epigastric burning, regurgitation, nausea without vomiting, persistently recurrent epigastric distress, reflux, substernal pain, sleep disturbance caused by esophageal reflux, diarrhea, dysphagia, Barrett's esophagus, and esophagitis.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including depression, mental health disorder, TBI, alopecia, headaches, TMJ disorder, insomnia, OSA, conjunctivitis, dry eye disorder, glaucoma, PFB, rhinitis, sinusitis, deviated septum, neck disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, asthma, hyperthyroid disorder, hives, anemia, DM (diabetes mellitus), heart disorder, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), kidney stones, hiatal hernia, hemorrhoids, right hip/thigh disorder, left hip/thigh disorder, varicose veins, heel spurs, pes planus, bunions, RUE neuropathy, LUE neuropathy, right hand disorder, left hand disorder, back disorder, RLE neuropathy, LLE neuropathy, HTN (hypertension), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), bladder disorder, ED (erectile dysfunction), prostate disorder, and gout.
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