GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2003

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for GERD and service connection for a chronic lung disability as secondary to his service-connected GERD.

The Board has determined that the appellant's gastroesophageal reflux disease was incurred during active military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic dyspepsia, hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and peptic ulcer disease as these conditions are related to the digestive system symptoms in service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for the service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease since October 1, 2000.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 60 percent for the veteran's residuals of partial gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy for duodenal ulcer, effective September 4, 1998.

The Board granted a rating of 80 percent for the veteran's service-connected esophagitis with gastroesophageal reflux, status post Nissan fundoplication with esophageal stricture. The duodenal ulcer was rated at 20 percent and TDIU was granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome was denied. Service connection for hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux was granted, but only at a noncompensable rating prior to March 20, 1997, and then increased to 30% thereafter.

The veteran's migraine headaches are characterized by headache episodes occurring three to four times per week, lasting two to six hours each. The initial rating assigned is 30 percent, the maximum under Diagnostic Code 8100 for very frequent prostrating attacks. The veteran's low back strain is characterized by subjective complaints of pain with range of motion of the lumbar spine of 95 degrees of forward flexion, 35 degrees of backward extension, and lateral flexion and bilateral rotation to 40 degrees. The initial rating assigned for this condition is 0 percent. The veteran's hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal disease, status post Nissen fundoplication, is characterized by occasional epigastric cramps/pain about three times per month, with no weight gain or loss for the past year or anemia. The initial rating assigned for this condition is 0 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety reaction. The claim for service connection was denied.

[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

The Board has determined that the veteran's hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease is not related to his service-connected bilateral knee disorder, including the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The veteran is permanently and totally disabled for pension purposes due to multiple non-service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux, dysthymia by history, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar and thoracic spines, degenerative joint disease of the left ankle, bilateral knee arthritis of the patella, mass soft tissue of the neck, and allergic rhinitis.

The Board finds that the veteran's current gastroesophageal disability, diagnosed as GERD, erosive gastritis, and Barrett's esophagitis, is more likely than not related to the medications he is taking for his service-connected orthopedic disabilities. As such, secondary service connection for a gastroesophageal disability is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased evaluation of GERD and service connection for hypertension are not supported by the evidence, and thus have been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and gastroesophageal reflux disease, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 60 percent for the low back disorder or any higher rating for the esophagitis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and severance of service connection for refractive error, PTSD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and chronic muscle tension headaches. The decision found that the initial grants of service connection were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has determined that the veteran's gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease do not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for GERD and irritable bowel syndrome, finding that the veteran's symptoms were not related to his military service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent evaluation for the veteran's residuals of a peptic ulcer, which includes post-gastrectomy syndrome, partial duodenal outlet obstruction secondary to the gastrectomy, and gastroesophageal reflux disease aggravated by the partial duodenal outlet obstruction.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his chronic gastritis with irritable colon syndrome, hiatal hernia, and gastroesophageal reflux disorder and a total rating based on individual unemployability.