The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a headache disability and GERD with Barrett's esophagus due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining missing VA records and securing adequate medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on incomplete or inadequate medical opinions that did not consider all relevant evidence, including lay testimony of chronic symptoms since service.
- Claimed conditions
- Headache disability, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with Barrett's esophagus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2024
- Citation
- A24053040
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 A24053040.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's headache disability is granted as service-connected. The left foot condition and lung cancer claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's GERD with Barrett's esophagus has been rated 10 percent from December 23, 2023. The Board is remanding the case to consider the severity of his GERD without considering the ameliorative effects of his medications.
- Granted
The Board has granted readjudication of the previously denied claims for service connection for asthma, low back injury (including right lower extremity radiculopathy), neck disability, headache disability, and right ankle disability.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.
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