The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an esophageal disorder, including gastroesophageal reflux disease and achalasia, as the May 2021 and November 2021 VA opinions are inadequate to decide the appeal.
The deciding factor: The May 2021 and November 2021 VA opinions are inadequate because they do not address the Veteran's claim that exposure to smoke and black mold caused and/or aggravated his esophageal disorder, and thus a medical examination and opinion is required under the PACT Act.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25044825
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an esophageal disorder, a lumbar spine disorder, left arm carpal tunnel syndrome, and right arm carpal tunnel syndrome as there was no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions during the pendency of the claim. The claim for migraines was remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and remanded several other claims, including diabetes, urinary disorder, bilateral hearing loss, back disability, traumatic brain injury (TBI), neurological disorder, left shoulder disability, neck disability, and tinnitus.
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