GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2005

The VA denied the appellant's claims for higher initial disability evaluations for his service-connected low back condition and hiatal hernia. The VA found that the appellant’s conditions did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis. The issues pertaining to increased rating for rhinitis and entitlement to service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder are being remanded.

The veteran's duodenal ulcer, status post Barrett's esophagus, hiatal hernia, and gastro-esophageal reflux disease is currently rated at 40 percent. The Board finds that the manifestations of his condition do not warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease was granted effective April 10, 2003.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and increased the evaluation of lumbar spine disability to 20 percent, effective March 2000. The claim for GERD was not addressed as it was not part of the original appeal.

The veteran's esophagus problems and GERD are service-connected as secondary to his service-connected peptic ulcer disease.,The veteran's peptic ulcer disease is currently rated at 20 percent.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a new examination. The issue remains about entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected gastrointestinal disabilities.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for GERD and osteoporosis due to incomplete development of his medical records, including a need for new VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his gastroesophageal narrowing of junction with symptoms of hiatal hernia and ventral hernia, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent on and after February 1, 1994.

The Board found that the veteran's asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease with hiatal hernia do not warrant a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran is seeking service connection for hepatitis C and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The Board has ordered the RO to schedule a VA examination at the Mountain Home Medical Center or an alternative location, obtain all relevant medical records, including SSA disability benefits information, and then re-adjudicate the claim.

The veteran's headaches and GERD with IBS have been granted initial evaluations, with the headache receiving a 10% evaluation and GERD and IBS receiving a combined 30% evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for GERD as secondary to the veteran's service connected PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and granted it. The other claims were denied.

The veteran's initial rating for GERD remains at 20 percent, and his increased rating claim for interstitial lung disease is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's current GERD and spastic colon were not caused by or aggravated by her service-connected duodenal ulcer, thus denying both claims.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, metastatic carcinoma of gastroesophageal junction, was not related to his military service and did not find any evidence linking it to exposure to herbicides.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bursitis/degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, dental disability, PTSD, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, coronary artery disease, and lumbar degenerative disc disease, were denied. The conditions are not considered to be related to military service.

The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 30 percent for generalized anxiety disorder and a 10 percent evaluation for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board found that the veteran's diverticulosis and gastroesophageal reflux disease were not related to his military service, leading to a denial of these claims.