The Veteran's claims for service connection for gastritis, chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, sleep apnea, and IBS have been granted with an effective date of May 1, 2023.,Service connection has also been granted for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a separate condition from the Veteran's service-connected gastritis. The relationship to PTSD is pending further examination.
The deciding factor: The claims were remanded due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and IBS, which are related to his service-connected conditions.,Further medical evaluation was needed to determine if the Veteran's IBS is separate from his gastritis or aggravated by PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- gastritis, chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26013891
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 A26013891.
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 unclear evidence regarding the diagnosis of gastritis and its relation to service. The Veteran needs to provide records, and a VA examiner will review his medical history and determine if gastritis is related to his military service or any other conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
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