GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance or being housebound was denied as he is not in need of regular aid and attendance nor substantially confined to his dwelling.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine its relationship to service, including his active duty in Southwest Asia. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the inextricability of the GERD issue.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service treatment and personnel records are needed to properly adjudicate his claims. As these records have not been obtained, the Board is remanding the cases for further action.

The Veteran's claim for an initial 50 percent rating for migraines is granted. The Veteran also has other service-connected conditions, but the appeal does not address their effective dates or whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for esophageal cancer, chronic bronchitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct or presumptive service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease is not related to her time in service and denied service connection. The Board also found that additional examination is needed for the Veteran's bilateral foot conditions due to obesity secondary to asthma.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Agent Orange exposure, GERD, gout, and left and right knee disabilities have been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including a VHA opinion and clarification opinion. The RO is instructed to consider this new evidence in its first instance.

The Board has determined that a VA examination and medical nexus opinion are required to determine if the Veteran's current hypertension and GERD are related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine herniated intervertebral disc with degenerative changes, bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis, and GERD are all granted a disability rating of 20 percent each.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since November 15, 2011.

The Veteran's esophageal disabilities, including Barrette’s esophagus, GERD, and hiatal hernia, are being remanded for further development. The Veteran is also seeking a higher rating for his PTSD and TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for various service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disorders, carpal tunnel syndromes, and respiratory issues, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions. The appeals will be reconsidered based on new evidence and a thorough review of the Veteran's service records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of erectile dysfunction and acid reflux as secondary to service-connected disabilities, including medications taken therefor. The Veteran is also seeking an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cervical spondylosis with degenerative arthritis and a compensable evaluation for chronic diarrhea.

The Board has dismissed the service connection claim for a heart disability and denied the claims for GERD and hypertension. The case is remanded for further development regarding the hypertension claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals, right shoulder SLAP tear is being remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at a 30% since November 2, 2010 through July 26, 2017. The Board finds the evidence to be at least evenly balanced as to whether his GERD more closely approximated the criteria for a 30% rating during this period.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions such as cervical spine disability, fibromyalgia, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, sleep apnea, headaches, and digestive disorders. The reasons for these remands include insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's military service.,The issues of service connection are being addressed due to a lack of sufficient evidence or reasoning provided by VA examiners in previous examinations.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset during service and whether it was aggravated by his PTSD.,The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded because the examiner did not address the Veteran’s statements about symptoms during service and failed to consider private treatment records for a diagnosis in 2011.,The Veteran's sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea and upper respiratory disorder, is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset during service and whether it was related to his rheumatoid arthritis.