The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, including gastric ulcer and GERD. The Veteran's service treatment records show complaints of stomach pain and gastritis, but a VA examiner found no current disability. A new examination is needed to address these issues.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the May 2018 VA examination was based on inaccurate factual bases and remanded for an addendum addressing all service treatment records referencing gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal disability, Gastric ulcer, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2023
- Citation
- 23063451
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 23063451.
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 claims for increased ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis and IBS/GERD were denied as there was no evidence of severe health impairment or other symptoms warranting a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's stomach disability. The VA will obtain an addendum opinion from a gastroenterologist to address whether the Veteran's stomach condition is related to service, including exposure to contaminated water and umbilical hernia repair.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active military service.
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