The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an additional VA examination to discount the ameliorative effects of medication on the Veteran's GERD with Barrett's esophagus.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the current rating criteria do not specifically contemplate the use of beneficial medications, and thus requires further evaluation without considering their effects.
- Claimed conditions
- 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
- February 3, 2026
- Citation
- A26010049
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 A26010049.
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 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 the Veteran's claim for service connection of GERD with Barrett's esophagus on a secondary basis to his service-connected back disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for a digestive system disability, characterized as GERD with Barrett's esophagus, due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for GERD with Barrett's esophagus, and a compensable rating for hypertension.
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