GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2020

A 30 percent rating is granted for GERD as of December 2, 2015. Ratings in excess of 20 percent are denied for low back and shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to obtain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential intermediate stop of obesity between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for contact dermatitis and skin cancer with related scars, including abscesses, sores, and boils. The Veteran's GERD, PUD, DVT, and kidney disease were not found to be related to his military service.,Service connection was remanded for hypertension due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for GERD and left forearm and elbow disability are being remanded due to deficiencies in the VA examinations conducted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disorder, left shoulder disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are also being remanded as addendum opinions were inadequate.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for major depression is being remanded due to its inextricability with the service connection claim for a sleep disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hiccups are related to his service-connected GERD condition. The examiner is instructed to address these issues and provide a clear opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's hiccup condition and both his service and his service-connected GERD.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for chronic bronchitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to support these claims.

The Veteran's GERD and hiatal hernia are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 60 percent rating.

The Board has denied service connection for a left shoulder condition and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral ankle conditions. Service connection was granted for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's claim for PTSD with memory loss is granted. The claims for diabetes mellitus II, left and right lower peripheral neuropathy, sleep apnea syndromes, hypertension, COPD, and GERD are denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disability, migraine, and tension headache disabilities.

The Veteran's GERD was not incurred in service and is denied. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disability, and bilateral leg peripheral vascular disease are granted as secondary to hypertension.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was rated at 10% prior to November 20, 2014 and at 30% thereafter. The Veteran is denied a rating in excess of these ratings.,The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection but the Board found that his service-connected PTSD aggravated it beyond its natural progression.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for GERD, residuals of intestinal blockage, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board found that there was no in-service event or injury to attribute these disabilities, and that the current evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to incomplete nexus opinions in the VA examinations. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for his service-connected disabilities is dismissed as the earliest possible effective date, January 1, 2019, has already been assigned.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back disability, left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, postural tremor of the left hand, postural tremor of the right upper extremity, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bipolar disorder, are being granted increased ratings. The Veteran is also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, thyroid nodules, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to incomplete VA medical records and missing audiometric test results.

The Veteran's GERD is currently rated by analogy to Diagnostic Code 7346, governing hiatal hernias. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that a compensable rating is warranted for the Veteran’s GERD.