GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2019

The Board has granted payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred from June 22 to 23, 2016, at Mease Dunedin Hospital (MDH) due to the Veteran's emergency condition and the unavailability of a VA facility.

The Veteran's appeal regarding effective dates earlier than August 7, 2016 for service connection for various conditions was denied.,The Veteran's appeals regarding initial disability ratings were either not addressed or remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and innocent heart murmur are denied as they were not aggravated by service.,Service connection for an unspecified stomach condition, to include GERD, is granted based on the benefit of doubt.

The Veteran's service connection claim for GERD is granted, but his claim for bilateral CTS is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The claims for increased ratings for major depressive disorder, sinusitis, GERD with irritable bowel syndrome, and migraine headaches were also denied.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disabilities, including GERD and hiatal hernia, are being remanded for further examination to determine their relationship to his service-connected IBS.

The claim of service connection for PTSD has been reopened, and the claims for GERD evaluation and TDIU have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue, sleep disorder, skin condition, headaches, joint pain, respiratory disorder, and gastrointestinal disorder. The claims are being remanded to schedule VA examinations to determine if these symptoms qualify as undiagnosed illnesses or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses related to service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for hiatal hernia/GERD and unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as he withdrew his claim for service connection of hyperlipidemia. The Board granted a 10 percent rating for left heel plantar fasciitis and remanded the issues regarding respiratory disability and GERD.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including neck disability, left knee disability, bilateral pes planus, tonsil disability, acid reflux (GERD), and headaches. The decision also includes requests for VA examinations and for SSA disability records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for cough and skin disease disabilities, CFS, sleep apnea, and GERD have been dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran does not currently have a diagnosis of CFS or any other condition related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's death was related to his service-connected condition and Agent Orange exposure. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if there is at least a 50% probability that the cause of death is linked to these factors.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is granted an initial 20 percent rating, while other conditions remain at their current ratings.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, sinus disability, IBS, acid reflux, headache disability, and sciatica as they were not shown to be related to service.,Service connection was also denied for a right arm disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea, neck disability, right ankle disability, and restless leg syndrome.,The Veteran's GERD remains rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,Service connection for heart disability (IHD, arrhythmia, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) to include as due to herbicide exposure is remanded.

Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) is granted. The compensable disability rating for astigmatism is denied. The appeals for right hip and left hand disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's hyperlipidemia is denied as it is not a disability for VA purposes.,Service connection granted for steatosis of the liver (Fatty Liver Disease) as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,Allergic rhinitis and hypertension are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Upper gastro-intestinal system disorder, ulcerative colitis, autoimmune illnesses, skin disorders, and hyperglycemia are also remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable, and he is granted a total disability rating based upon unemployability (TDIU).