GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's upper-GI disability has been well-controlled with medication, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The criteria for TDIU have also not been met as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various gastrointestinal and other conditions are being remanded as the Veteran has not been afforded VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.,Specifically, the Veteran was treated for hypertension in service but no current diagnosis or examination is available.

The Board found that the Veteran's arthritis of the hands was not incurred in service and is not related to exposure to herbicides or other service-connected disabilities.,The Board also found that the Veteran's GERD was not incurred in service and is not related to exposure to herbicides or other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the conditions are not related to his active duty service or any in-service exposure. The Board found that the peripheral vascular disease, including DVT, was caused by Factor V Leiden deficiency and not due to sodium dichromate exposure. Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia were also not shown to be related to service.

The Board has dismissed the appellant's appeals for service connection on several issues due to her withdrawal of those appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records and providing an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's GERD was caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's digestive disability, including GERD and hiatal hernia, was not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active service. The Board found that the Veteran's digestive disability is not secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current heart disability for VA purposes and therefore, service connection for a heart condition is denied. The claim of entitlement to service connection for gastroesophageal disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including psychosis and depression, was denied as there is no evidence of a mental health condition during or related to his military service.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction was also denied because the Veteran did not have a service-connected disability that caused or aggravated his condition.

The Board has remanded the issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for residuals of testicular trauma, depressive disorder, stomach disorder (including irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease), posttraumatic stress disorder, arthralgia, and a testicular disorder (other than testicular trauma) to include a benign testicular neoplasm. The Veteran is scheduled for a travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and GERD have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.,Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's GERD is secondary to his service-connected left knee disability and was granted service connection.,The Veteran's right hip degenerative joint disease is found to be aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability and was granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to his active service and grants this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed GERD did not manifest during service and is not causally related to service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is related to his active military service, including as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for GERD or hemorrhoids, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with hiatal hernia has not been manifested by symptoms of pain, vomiting, material weight loss and hematemesis or melena with moderate anemia, or other symptom combinations productive of severe impairment of health. The Board finds that the disability does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during service or that any current disabilities are related to service.

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

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate opinions and inextricably intertwined issues of service connection, TDIU, and the need for updated treatment records.