GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for anemia, gout, hypertension, diverticulitis, acid reflux, renal cyst, and polycythemia vera are remanded due to a lack of sufficient evidence to determine if these conditions are related to his active duty service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran is entitled to a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date that can be assigned is April 22, 2013.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD secondary to PTSD was remanded due to a lack of opinion regarding whether PTSD caused or worsened obesity and thus contributed to GERD.

The Veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD and difficulty swallowing is rated at 30 percent, but no higher, due to persistent symptoms including dysphagia, pyrosis, regurgitation, and substernal pain. The rating was granted as the condition has progressed in severity.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development of records and a need for an addendum medical opinion.

The appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is dismissed. The appeals for service connection for a lung condition (other than sleep apnea), left ear hearing loss, and gastritis/GERD are all denied. An effective date of May 17, 2011 is granted for the grant of service connection for gastritis/GERD.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure. His bilateral hearing loss and GERD are denied, with the latter being remanded for further evaluation. The skin disability and carotid artery occlusive disease remain in dispute.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for degenerative joint and disc disease, thoracolumbar spine was denied due to failure to report for a VA examination. The claim for service connection for GERD was also denied as there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that the condition preexisted any period of service or was aggravated by such service.

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disability and abnormal weight loss, finding that the evidence did not establish a nexus to service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD and an esophageal condition, including Barrett’s esophagus, due to insufficient information on whether these conditions are related to his active service. The Veteran is required to provide authorization for VA to obtain non-VA records and a VA examination must be scheduled.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. Service connection was also granted for IBS and GERD as qualifying chronic disabilities due to the Veteran's service in the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right foot, knee, back, stomach, and psychiatric conditions. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons or bases for its decision not to provide a VA examination, and because there is insufficient competent medical evidence on file for the Secretary to make a decision on the claim.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims, including those for sleep apnea, allergic rhinitis, GERD, gastritis, an acquired psychiatric disability, ring finger injury of the right hand, foot disability (heel spurs), and shin splints, all secondary to service-connected sinusitis.

The Board has vacated the portion of its April 2020 decision that denied service connection for heart palpitations due to failure to consider a theory that the condition is related to GERD and/or Barrett's esophagus. The claims for left shoulder, right shoulder, lumbar spine, and gastrointestinal reflux disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date of August 20, 2016, but not earlier, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for cervical and back disabilities are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for GERD, hiatal hernia, and IBS to obtain a new VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus and TDIU prior to June 4, 2015. The Veteran's service-connected conditions include bilateral pes planus, glaucoma, GERD, right ankle sprain, scar, cervical spine strain degenerative disc, bilateral shin splints, asthma, and tinea pedis.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for a VA examination to determine its relationship to his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension and colon polyps are remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence regarding herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), and kidney stones are remanded for a VA examination to determine their relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal of higher initial disability ratings for bilateral pes planus is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal at a Board hearing.,The Veteran’s claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), hypertension, cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure (claimed as hypertensive heart disease), tinea pedis of the right foot, tinea pedis of the left foot, obstructive sleep apnea (secondary to GERD/gastritis), a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD/gastritis, a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee are remanded.,The Veteran's appeal of higher initial disability ratings for bilateral pes planus is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal at a Board hearing.