GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for clarification and further medical evaluation.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability and remanded the claims of service connection for gastric ulcer(s) and hiatal hernia (claimed as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD). The Veteran's claims are now pending with VA for additional development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for acid reflux and anemia, as well as rating for hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision on these matters is pending further review.

The Board dismissed the issues of service connection for lumbar spine disability and acid reflux, upper abdominal disability. The effective date for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is set at December 13, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and GERD, as secondary to PTSD. The issues are now pending before VA for further review.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lumbosacral strain, and left knee chondromalacia. The appeals were all denied as there was no current diagnosis or evidence of in-service injury resulting in the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including lumbar spine condition (claimed as back condition), GERD, mental disorder (claimed as depressive illness), hyperlipidemia, left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right hip arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, discoid lupus erythematosus, hypertension, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is not service connected due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board has remanded the claims of whether new and material evidence was submitted to reopen service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, neck disability, hearing loss, internal bleeding, acid reflux, and ingrown toenails. The Veteran needs to clarify his period of service with the Oklahoma Army National Guard.

The Veteran's GERD with esophagitis has been rated at 10 percent since service connection was established in March 1995. The Board denied a higher rating, finding that the symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for service connection for myositis, cervical strain (neck disability), spinal stenosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, sinusitis, COPD, edema, GERD, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and bronchitis have all been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has decided to remand several claims related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including G6PD, hematuria, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, sleep apnea, acid reflux, hyperlipidemia, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, bilateral knee scars, and major depressive disorder. The remand includes obtaining missing VA treatment records, scheduling examinations for the Veteran's depression, knees, elbows, and lumbar strain conditions, and issuing a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's back disability due to inadequate findings in previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of an injury to his left shoulder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to a lack of medical nexus opinions addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service injuries.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a prostate disorder was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim. Appeals for other conditions were denied as untimely.

The appeal is dismissed with respect to the issue of entitlement to service connection for dermatitis. The Board has remanded issues related to fatigue, GERD, migraine headaches, peripheral nerve disability, and psychiatric disability.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the March 1980 or February 2009 rating decisions regarding service connection for various conditions. The claims were denied based on a lack of evidence supporting these conditions during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for entitlement to service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as secondary to his service-connected back condition.

The Veteran's chronic gastritis and GERD were rated at 30 percent prior to October 1, 2012. The Board has determined that a 60 percent rating is more appropriate for the Veteran's symptoms prior to this date. The issue of entitlement to a higher rating is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD, sleep apnea, acid reflux/GERD, arthritis (including cervical spine and lumbar spine), and joint pain (including right shoulder, right elbow, bilateral hand disorder, and bilateral hip disorder) as these conditions are not related to active service or events therein.