GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2014

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for a TDIU, and the Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's TDIU rating was granted effective January 14, 2009. The Board found that a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis should have been granted as early as November 19, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome was withdrawn by the appellant. The Board has not addressed this issue further.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is not established as secondary to a service-connected disability or due to a disease or injury in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety disorder, status-post PFPS of the left knee, GERD with irritable bowel syndrome, migraine headaches, and psoriatic arthritis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a kidney/bladder condition was previously denied in August 1985 and is now being reopened. The evidence submitted since the last denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim has been denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence that he currently suffers from this disability.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral artery disease of the lower left extremity was granted a 40 percent evaluation effective February 1, 2009. A noncompensable rating was assigned for hypertension and acid reflux disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and acid reflux are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's hypertension has been assigned a 10 percent evaluation, effective from March 28, 2014.

The Board has found that the Veteran's stomach condition, including GERD and gastritis, was not incurred in or related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no credible evidence of a stressor event in service and the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for mesothelioma was denied as there is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for duodenal spasms as a residual of duodenal ulcer, effective September 24, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the issues of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hand pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left knee disability, lumbago (back disability), generalized anxiety disorder, pes planus of the right foot, and fatigue. The claims will be reviewed based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection for the conditions appealed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations. The issues include secondary service connection for a right knee disorder, residuals of pleurodesis for pneumothorax, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux esophagitis, esophageal ulcers, gastritis, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for examinations to determine the nature and likely etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's GERD was rated as noncompensably disabling prior to December 20, 2011. After that date, a higher initial rating of 10 percent is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for scoliosis. The claim for increased evaluation for GERD and IBS prior to January 11, 2012 is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected gastrointestinal and low back disabilities do not render him unemployable for VA purposes, as he is capable of performing sedentary work despite his symptoms.

The Veteran's appeals have been partially granted with some issues being granted and others denied. The effective dates are not assigned as the evidence does not show a pending claim prior to his November 2007 application.