GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary for the Veteran to undergo VA examinations in order to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed sinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus, GERD, left knee patellar chondromalacia, and right knee patellar chondromalacia were remanded for further examination and rating considerations due to the length of time since his last examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not yet determined whether new evidence is sufficient to grant these claims. The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus and headaches, while his claims for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, acid reflux (secondary to PTSD), and erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD) are still pending.,The Veteran's low back condition claim remains denied as there is no new evidence provided that relates the current disability to active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for stress disorder and gastrointestinal disability (hiatal hernia and GERD) are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations, as well as new opinions regarding the etiology of her bruxism, GERD, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral eye disorders, gastrointestinal disorder (acid reflux), and skin disorder due to potential Agent Orange exposure. The VA will conduct further examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disabilities are not related to his service and were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected allergic rhinitis or sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient information regarding whether topical steroid treatment for tinea corporis constitutes systemic therapy, and because a statement of the case has not yet been issued for issues 2 through 5.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to obtain relevant VA treatment records. The Veteran's gastrointestinal symptoms are being evaluated further.

Service connection is denied for a lumbar spine disorder.,Service connection is granted for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernia.,An effective date of September 12, 2011, but no earlier, has been granted for service connection for headaches. The Veteran's informal claim was received on that date.,The effective date for the award of service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied as it cannot be earlier than December 21, 2011.,The effective date for the award of service connection for sleep apnea is denied as it cannot be earlier than December 21, 2011.,The effective date for the award of service connection for tinnitus is denied as it cannot be earlier than December 21, 2011.

The Board has remanded the cases due to failure of the Veteran to report for VA examinations. The issues include service connection for low back disorder, chronic stomach disorder (GERD), and dental disorder.

The Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis is granted as secondary to his service-connected GERD. The Veteran's GERD prior to October 15, 2015 was denied a higher rating, but from that date he is now rated at 60 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD was denied as there is no evidence that the condition originated during his military service.,For the period from February 19, 2016 to August 28, 2017, the Veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a rating more than 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided in May 2015 were inadequate and remanded for further examination. The Veteran's GERD and IBS are being remanded to determine their etiology, specifically whether they are related to service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a skin disorder to include psoriasis and lichen simplex chronicus, lung disorder, gastrointestinal (GI) disorder other than irritable bowel syndrome, and TDIU. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not meet the VA requirements for hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his right knee, hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder are related to his military service, including fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder, status post right lumbar surgery with post voiding leakage, and other service-connected conditions are all denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating for any of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities combined to a 90 percent rating between December 20, 2010 and December 30, 2014. Prior to December 30, 2014, the Veteran was not unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastric condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records.