The Board remands the appeal to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error by obtaining an adequate examination that clarifies the severity and frequency of the Veteran's GERD symptoms.
The deciding factor: The examiners' reports are unclear regarding the impact of medication on the Veteran's GERD symptoms, necessitating a new examination for clarity.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25032182
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 remands the case to obtain an opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's GERD with IBS without the ameliorative effects of medications.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for GERD with IBS and denied a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 60 percent for GERD with IBS, resolving all doubt in the Veteran's favor based on symptoms including pain, vomiting, material weight loss and hematemesis or melena with moderate anemia.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial higher disability rating for GERD with IBS and a compensable rating for urinary frequency to correct a duty to assist error related to notice of the right to a hearing.
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