GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2017

The Veteran is seeking service connection for gastrointestinal disorders, including peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which he claims developed during his military service in Mannheim, Germany. The Board has remanded the case to obtain missing service treatment records and VA treatment records, as well as any relevant private medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not cause him to be in need of regular aid and attendance, as his limitations are due to non-service connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage requirements for TDIU, but his employment history and current job do not show he is unemployable due to these conditions.

The Veteran's Crohn's Disease with GERD is rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of this decision.

The claims for service connection for asthma, glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, enlarged prostate, and GERD have all been denied due to the lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran's statements regarding his conditions are considered cumulative.

The Veteran's IBS with GERD, hiatal hernia, colonic atony with fecal impaction and incontinence of stool, and pelvic floor dysfunction is currently rated as 30 percent disabling. The Board has determined that a higher rating of 60 percent is warranted based on the severity of her symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his digestive system disability and whether he qualifies for a TDIU.

The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at a noncompensable rating, but the Board has determined that an initial 10 percent rating is warranted for his condition throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the claimed conditions, or that any such disabilities are causally related to military service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board finds that his back condition did not contribute substantially or materially to his cause of death. The VA medical opinion provided a negative nexus between the service-connected back disability and the cause of death.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for asthma, lumbar spine disability, GERD with ulcer, deviated septum, and sinus disability. The evidence presented is sufficient to reopen these claims, but does not establish service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for GERD and back disability due to inadequate examinations, requiring new evaluations.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to deficiencies in previous opinions and need for clarification on service connection determinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and his symptoms are better explained by other conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia. Therefore, service connection for CFS is denied.

The Veteran's right inguinal hernia with GERD has been shown to be remediable and without true hernia protrusion, despite not having been operated on. However, it has also been shown to be productive of persistent recurrent epigastric distress with substernal shoulder pain of a mild severity.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and GERD with esophagitis and flexible hiatal hernia, finding that the current conditions are related to service. The Veteran's complaints of knee pain during service were diagnosed as chondromalacia patella, which is now diagnosed as osteoarthritis. For the gastrointestinal disorder, the Board found that the Veteran had abdominal symptoms during service, including muscle spasms and discomfort, which resolved prior to separation but are currently diagnosed as GERD with esophagitis and flexible hiatal hernia.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since September 2012, and the Board found that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,For GERD, the Veteran was only service-connected with a 10% disability rating. The Board noted that there were overlapping symptoms with nonservice-connected conditions such as duodenal ulcers, diverticulosis, and chronic gastritis.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at a 10% rating after July 10, 2013. Prior to that date, the condition was not considered compensable.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and need for additional evidence.