GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's GERD and hiatal hernia have been rated at 30 percent since June 9, 2015, due to persistent symptoms including reflux, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, regurgitation, sleep disturbances, difficulty swallowing, and substernal burning.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for acid reflux has been dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left pes planus, hysterectomy, and incontinence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, GERD, bilateral hearing loss disability, jaw (TMJ) disability, left shoulder disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, raticulopathy of the left upper extremity, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic kidney disability, and erectile dysfunction are not service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for GERD, Migraine Headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD due to MST are being remanded for additional development of her medical records and for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The cervical spine disability is not rated higher than 20 percent, the left knee disability remains at 10 percent, and hypertension is also rated at 10 percent. GERD receives a 10 percent rating. TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including GERD and bilateral hand arthritis, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since November 16, 2015. A total disability rating for individual unemployability is granted effective that date.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for blurred vision, bilateral hearing loss, dizziness, inhalation injury, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, sleep apnea, GERD, status post excision benign skin mass on the right wrist with residual scar, headache disability, left cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome, right cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and PTSD have all been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals by the Veteran.,The Veteran's appeals for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability are being remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and granted initial ratings for various conditions, including left shoulder DJD, left knee DJD, right knee DJD, bilateral plantar fasciitis, left and right ankle DJD, and hiatal hernia with GERD. The claim of service connection for a left elbow disorder was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's IBS is granted a separate 10% rating effective December 1, 2015. The claims for earlier effective dates for GERD and tinnitus service connection are dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that he was engaged in substantial gainful employment prior to October 21, 2011.

The Board has determined that a new examination is needed due to the Veteran's report of worsening symptoms, and the available evidence from her last VA examination is too old to adequately evaluate her current condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including residuals of pneumonia, heart disease, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, and GERD. The Veteran's claim is being reviewed again due to new evidence submitted since previous decisions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for GERD is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, and gastroesophageal reflux disease are all granted as service connected due to their onset within one year of separation from service or presumed due to Gulf War exposure.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, including hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well as his plantar fasciitis and obstructive sleep apnea are all secondary to his service-connected ITP. The issues have been remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's ITP is already service connected, but the issue of whether these additional disabilities should be considered secondary to this condition remains unresolved.

The Board has remanded the claims for a left ankle disability, GERD, back disability, psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), and sleep apnea due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and a TDIU have been dismissed as he has requested to withdraw his appeal.

The appeal on the claim of entitlement to service connection for IBS is dismissed. Entitlement to a higher initial rating for GERD, currently evaluated at 10 percent, is granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to service connected disabilities, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate examination report and the need for a new one with a full explanation of the relationship between the Veteran's abdominal conditions and her service-connected major depressive disorder.