GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU due to incomplete development, including failure to adjudicate certain referred issues. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal problems, diagnosed as GERD and IBS, are proximately due to or the result of her service-connected PTSD. The Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's GERD and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed depression) are found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The claims for service connection, increased ratings, and other issues will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, reflecting total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; gross inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation or hometown.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current digestive disorders, including cholecystectomy, cholecystitis, gastroesophageal reflex disorder, and diverticulitis, are not related to his time in service or his service-connected residuals of appendectomy.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, joint pain with fibromyalgia, chronic headaches, a disorder manifested by difficulty breathing (undiagnosed illness), and acid reflux (GERD) due to new evidence.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia are being remanded for further examination to determine their etiology. The issue of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is also on appeal.

The Veteran's digestive disorder, including GERD, is found to have begun during his military service and granted service connection.,The Veteran's loss of teeth are due to periodontal disease and not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability, an increased rating for PTSD, and a higher initial rating for GERD. The TDIU claim was remanded but not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA medical records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including gastroesophageal disability, tension headache disability, osteoarthritis of the thoracic and lumbar spine, bilateral plantar fasciitis with degenerative changes at the first metatarsophalangeal joint, cervical strain with degenerative joint and disc disease, left knee orthopedic disability, left elbow nerve disability, and tinnitus, meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, to include GERD, as it is found that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's current diagnosis of GERD was incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeals for all issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to specified dates for various service connection determinations. The appeals are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to clarify the nature of his gastrointestinal disorder and hypertension, including obtaining medical records and providing an opinion on their etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, gastroesophageal reflux disease, positive tuberculosis tine test, and left eye disability are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or etiological link to service.

The Veteran's GERD and IBS have been granted service connection as they are aggravated by his treatment for a service-connected disability (prostate cancer).

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed due to his request for withdrawal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his diabetes, skin cancer, and GERD.