GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2011

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallbladder disease, and hiatal hernia. The VA compensation examination confirmed that the Veteran does not have these conditions due to military service.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), effective from the date of the decision. The claim for service connection for a left knee condition, to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, is reopened and assigned a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 20 percent disabling, effective August 12, 2003. The rating reflects moderate symptoms of pyrosis, regurgitation, abdominal pain, and occasional diarrhea and nausea.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the following actions: obtaining VA outpatient treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to determine the current severity and manifestations of his service-connected GERD and Barrett's esophagitis, notifying him that he must report for the examination, and providing a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for stomach problems, including as due to Agent Orange exposure, is being remanded for further development and an examination.

The Veteran's service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease is manifested by symptoms such as substernal pain, pyrosis, and regurgitation. The disability has been rated at a 10 percent rating since the initial grant of service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for GERD and remanded to determine if new evidence supports a grant of service connection. The claims for left shoulder disability, back disability, and other conditions remain inapplicable as they were not addressed by the RO's decision.

The Veteran's GERD results in recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation. However, his symptoms do not result in material weight loss or other symptom combinations that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's paraesophageal and hiatal hernia with GERD was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,There is no competent evidence linking the Veteran's current left knee condition to his active military service, nor did it manifest within one year after discharge. The low back condition also does not have a direct link to his service-connected right ankle fracture. The cervical spine disorder is not related to his jaw surgery.

The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 30 percent, the highest schedular evaluation available for this condition. The symptoms include epigastric pain, vomiting, dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, resulting in considerable impairment of health.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from engaging in substantially gainful employment during the entire appellate period, without regard to age or impact of nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for gastrointestinal disorders and a skin disorder. The Veteran's current conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. His left epididymitis was not found to warrant a compensable evaluation, and his bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent since March 25, 2010.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during active military service and is granted service connection.

The Board has determined that service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and a disability manifested by blood in the stool is not warranted as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection for residuals of a bilateral foot injury cannot be granted as new and material evidence has not been received.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of gastroesophogeal reflux disorder (GERD) and prostate condition are not related to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hiatal hernia, and an increased rating for duodenal ulcer with gastroesophageal reflux disease were all denied. The Veteran was granted a 20% rating for his duodenal ulcer with gastroesophageal reflux disease.,There is no evidence of diabetes mellitus or hiatal hernia during service or within one year post-service, and the Board found that there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a connection between these conditions and service. The Veteran's current duodenal ulcer with gastroesophageal reflux disease has been rated as 20% disabling.

The Board found that the appellant's gastrointestinal disability, including GERD, was not incurred in service and is not related to his active service or any incident therein. The Board also found no evidence of a link between the appellant's post-service gastrointestinal disability and his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease is being remanded due to the need for clarification of the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran currently has Raynaud disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease that were present in service.,The Veteran currently has thoracolumbar scoliosis, which was also present in service.