BVA decisions by condition
Benign neoplasms of the digestive system: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a benign neoplasms of the digestive system issue in 624 decisions. It granted the benign neoplasms of the digestive system issue in 11.4% of them, below the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 54.0%, and remanded it in 33.7%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 17.4% were granted.
Decisions
624
2018–2026
Granted
11.4%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
17.4%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
33.7%
Denied: 54.0%
Benign neoplasms of the digestive system outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 71 | 8.5% | 54.9% | 36.6% |
| 2019 | 68 | 7.4% | 58.8% | 30.9% |
| 2020 | 71 | 7.0% | 63.4% | 31.0% |
| 2021 | 78 | 7.7% | 69.2% | 20.5% |
| 2022 | 77 | 13.0% | 42.9% | 44.2% |
| 2023 | 79 | 12.7% | 49.4% | 38.0% |
| 2024 | 61 | 19.7% | 34.4% | 44.3% |
| 2025 | 85 | 16.5% | 49.4% | 32.9% |
Evidence in granted and denied benign neoplasms of the digestive system decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the benign neoplasms of the digestive system issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 96 | 50.0% | 9.7% | +40.3 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 78 | 36.5% | 13.9% | +22.6 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 193 | 28.5% | 11.8% | +16.7 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 119 | 17.5% | 17.4% | +0.1 pts |
| Lay statement | 504 | 14.5% | 33.9% | −19.4 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 77.5% of the decisions that granted benign neoplasms of the digestive system.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 31.0% of grants and 10.4% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often benign neoplasms of the digestive system was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 484 | 16.4% | 22.7% | −6.4 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 386 | 14.7% | 22.8% | −8.1 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied benign neoplasms of the digestive system
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established16
- New and material evidence received3
- New and relevant evidence submitted2
- Criteria for service connection met2
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service46
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis39
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim38
- No current diagnosis32
- Service records negative or silent27
- Current diagnosis established18
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability5
- Evidence persuasively weighs against service connection4
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent benign neoplasms of the digestive system decisions
Granted
Medical opinions from Dr. D.M. and Dr. J.W.C., Jr. found link to radiation and toxic exposures.; Dr. D.M. referenced studies correlating granulomas with geographic location and occupation.; Dr. D.M. associated exposures in San Diego and Connecticut with granuloma formation.
Veteran alleges in-service exposure to TCE.; Private medical opinion linked teratoma to TCE exposure.; VA opinions were not probative.; Board resolved doubt in favor of Veteran.
Current disability established by Court reversal; In-service treatment documented; Approximate balance standard invoked; Benefit of the doubt conceded nexus
Denied
VA examiner found disorder less likely than not related to TERA.; No chemical exposure risk factors identified for the tumor.; Service records normal at separation; no relevant notations.
No evidence of functional impairment; No evidence of impact on work; Surgery did not warrant higher rating
Did not meet criteria for compensable rating; Lacked specific symptoms for higher rating; Persuasive evidence against compensable rating
Rules that apply to benign neoplasms of the digestive system claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your benign neoplasms of the digestive system case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a benign neoplasms of the digestive system issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.