The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including considering potential exposure to toxic substances and addressing the relationship between his current conditions and his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that further examination and opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to toxic substances during service and whether any of his current conditions are related to such exposure or his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Fibromyalgia, Foot disability (flat foot), Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Diabetes mellitus, Right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, Left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 27, 2023
- Citation
- 23067745
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 23067745.
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.
- 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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