Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for GERD and obstructive sleep apnea, to include as secondary to PTSD, due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their relationship to toxic exposure risk activities, including burn pits.
The deciding factor: The TERA medical opinion failed to address the Veteran's presumed exposure to burn pits, making it inadequate. The examiner also did not opine on whether the service-connected PTSD aggravated the obstructive sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25096891
Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine
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.