GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran does not have residuals from a TBI and denied service connection for TBI residuals. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen service connection for tinnitus, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, GERD, right knee and left leg disabilities, and bilateral hearing loss are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability and finds that the Veteran's current right ankle disorder is related to his in-service injury. The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, IBS, GERD, prostatitis, hypertension, degenerative arthritis of right acromioclavicular joints, and triceps muscle injury are addressed on remand.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's gastritis was caused by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for gastritis secondary to PTSD. The issue of gastroesophageal reflux disease with Barrett's esophagus remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not make him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment, thus the claim for TDIU is denied.

Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease associated with service-connected duodenal ulcer has been granted, and the combined disability is rated as duodenal ulcer disease with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions and issues, including cervical spine or neck condition, thoracolumbar spine or back condition, bilateral eye disorder, irritable bowel syndrome and GERD, prostate condition with incontinence, recurring skin lesions and sores, migraine headaches, insomnia, anxiety and depression, and temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). The appeal is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and hyperlipidemia, was dismissed. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, to include GERD and/or ulcerative colitis, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with some conditions receiving a presumption of herbicide exposure and others being granted based on the evidence presented.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current lumbar, cervical, left hand, right hand, and GERD disabilities and his active service or any service-connected disability. The claims for these conditions were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, gastrointestinal disability, skin cancer, and PTSD are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a gastrointestinal disability, including as due to an undiagnosed illness. He also seeks an increased rating for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the left hip.,The Veteran contends that he incurred obstructive sleep apnea during active service or, alternatively, his service-connected sinusitis caused or aggravated (permanently worsened) his obstructive sleep apnea. He also contends that he incurred a gastrointestinal disability as a result of an undiagnosed illness initially experienced while deployed to the southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.,The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the left hip.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at the highest possible level (50%) throughout the appeal period, and his GERD has resulted in a 50% rating. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during his first period of active duty service from December 2008 to January 2010.,The Veteran has a current right knee disorder and the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right second distal phalanx fracture, bilateral hearing loss, and GERD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable disability rating for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current gastrointestinal disorder is not related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma and increased ratings for fibromyalgia, GERD with duodenitis and IBS, and chronic adjustment disorder with depressed mood were denied. The Board found that the evidence was against a finding of direct service connection for glaucoma and concluded that the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for fibromyalgia or an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for GERD with duodenitis and IBS.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for the purpose of obtaining additional VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The claims will be readjudicated based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis and GERD have been rated at the lowest available levels (10%) throughout the appeal period.,Both conditions are not shown to meet or approximate the criteria for higher ratings.