The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has an esophageal disorder, claimed as GERD, that is related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record does not establish a current diagnosis of an esophageal disorder at the time of the January 2024 AOJ decision, and additional evidence received subsequent to this decision requires further development through an addendum opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25029867
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,676 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25029867.
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 Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's gastrointestinal or esophageal disability was caused or aggravated by service or any related conditions.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, right knee, left knee, upper jaw/dental, and esophageal disorders due to lack of new and relevant evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in excess of the current ratings. The Board granted a 10 percent rating for left nasal cavity mass with obstruction prior to March 18, 2024, but denied a compensable rating beginning that date. The Board remanded service connection for esophageal disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an esophageal disorder and a thyroid disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service, including asbestos exposure.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.