GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2006

The Board has granted service connection for GERD as secondary to PTSD and denied service connection for sleep apnea. The claim of reopening the left shoulder disorder was also granted, but the claim of reopening the skin disorder (lipoma) was denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that would warrant a presumption of service connection. The veteran was not shown to have PTSD as a result of an in-service stressor.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the appellant's gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) disability, finding that her symptoms did not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is not related to his service, including his active duty in the Persian Gulf War area. The condition was attributed to known diagnoses and no direct link to service or a presumptive illness was established.

The Board denied service connection for vision loss, residuals of a head injury, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The right hand disorder issue is considered unknown due to lack of information.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Appeals Management Center (AMC) for additional examinations and determinations regarding his service connection claims, including a potential secondary service connection claim related to his anxiety disorder.

The veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and indigestion has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a stomach disability (claimed as esophageal ulcer with GERD and sliding hiatal hernia) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's PTSD is service-connected, but there is no evidence of a current digestive disorder or nervous stomach to support his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for fibrotic disease of the lungs due to asbestos exposure. The veteran's lung problems are found to be related to his in-service asbestos exposure.

The veteran's bronchial asthma is rated at 60 percent, gastroesophageal reflux at 10 percent, and allergic rhinitis remains noncompensable.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the right elbow, chronic instability of the left ankle, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to lack of credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressors and no causal relationship between current GERD and active duty service.

The Board has withdrawn the claim of service connection for acid reflux as it was no longer pursued by the appellant.,There is no evidence to support a finding that the veteran's current eye disorder or asthma are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus (DM).,The veteran's DM requires insulin, a restricted diet, and regulation of activities. The current evaluation of 20 percent for DM is maintained.

The Board found that the veteran's GERD/hiatal hernia did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation than 10 percent, as she did not have symptoms of dysphagia or substernal pain.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the basic eligibility requirements for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing or for a special home adaptation grant.

The veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 18, 2001 for service connection for allergic rhinitis and pseudofolliculitis barbae are denied. The Board has also remanded the remaining issues of entitlement to service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated and are currently assigned the maximum schedular ratings. No further increased ratings are warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's GERD does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, and thus denied his claim.