GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2012

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, low back pain/lumbago, and GERD/hiatel hernia status post surgery. The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 60 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions and to obtain relevant medical records. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the initial increased ratings for GERD and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the issues have been dismissed due to lack of active claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left ear hearing loss, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, skin disability, bladder disability, kidney disability, liver disability, headaches, hypertension, and GERD. The decision did not address any presumptive exposure to herbicides or other specific exposures.

The Board has remanded the case due to the complexity of the medical history and the need for clarification on whether the Veteran's gastroesophageal disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's TDIU rating was granted effective January 14, 2009. The Board denied an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is at least 90%, but the Board finds that his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating in excess of 30 percent for hiatal hernia with IBS and GERD on an extraschedular basis, finding that the schedular criteria adequately described his symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence. The GERD claim will be evaluated based on its merits, while the right hand injury claim requires further review of service treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for any of the claimed conditions and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected condition. As such, the claims are denied.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability or GERD, concluding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's GERD was found to have originated during his active service, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA examinations and records, as well as a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected PTSD and GERD.

The Board found that the Veteran's GERD was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to a service-connected disability. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as there is no evidence indicating he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The appeal is currently in remand status.

The Veteran's service-connected GERD status post nissen fundoplication with symptoms of IBS is currently rated at 60 percent, effective December 5, 2011. The rating reflects the severity and symptomatology of his condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection for acid reflux disease, to include as secondary to a service-connected low back syndrome with degenerative changes. The remaining issues will be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not resolved and requires additional development, including VA examinations to address his hearing loss, tinnitus, GERD, and low back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unemployable, and the Board finds that she is not entitled to a TDIU.