GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2020

The Board has ordered remand due to the need for a new VA opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed disabilities, as the previous opinions were deemed inadequate and did not adequately address the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board granted service connection for GERD with a rating of 10% and effective date of June 14, 2013. The AOJ implemented this decision on August 9, 2019, and awarded past-due benefits from November 8, 2018 to August 9, 2019. Attorney fees are granted for the amount of these past-due benefits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence received, and requests an addendum opinion regarding his esophageal cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for a right wrist sprain, GERD, and mood disorder. The Veteran's right wrist sprain is related to his service, as are his GERD and mood disorder.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 11, 2014 for the award of a TDIU. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following gainful employment as of that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for GERD, duodenal ulcer, and gastritis.

The Veteran's chronic gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea, and vertigo are all found to be related to his service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected as it did not originate in service or within one year of discharge, and is not otherwise etiologically related to service.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) cannot be established as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of GERD.

The Board denied service connection for a heart murmur, right ankle disorder, GERD, and gastritis as there is no competent evidence of current disabilities.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed disorders because the medical records do not show any current diagnoses or symptoms related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic lumbar spine disorder has been reopened and remanded. The claims for left knee disability, flat feet, depressive disorder, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), right hip disability, and history of left ankle fracture are also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected IBS and GERD were rated at 30 percent for the entire increased rating period on appeal, from June 7, 2019. The symptoms did not meet criteria for a higher rating as they did not result in material weight loss, hematemesis, melena with moderate anemia or other symptom combinations productive of severe impairment of health.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's GERD and hiatal hernia, which are claimed gastrointestinal disabilities. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including ED, headaches, a sleeping condition, acid reflux, hepatitis C, and a left shoulder injury. The decision is final as no substantive appeal was filed within the required time frame.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) was denied because his service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for SMC based on a single disability rated as total and an additional disability ratable at 60 percent or more.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal condition, including as due to an undiagnosed illness. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection or presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.,The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.,The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.,The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.,The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.,The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.,The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.,The Board has recharacterized the issues on appeal as individual service connection claims. The Veteran's pending service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat foot, hypertension, chronic skin rash of the arms and neck, peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and cause of death are all remanded.

The Board denied service connection for GERD and Barrett’s esophageal disease (Barrett’s) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder.,The evidence did not establish a direct link between the Veteran's anxiety disorder and his GERD or Barrett’s, but rather suggested an association.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for gastritis with positive helicobacter pylori test and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), psoriasis, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with a previous remand order, requiring further development including an additional VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and treatment records. The issues include right knee, left knee, rash of the entire body, ingrown toenails, indigestion, bilateral pes planus, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression), pseudofolliculitis barbae, and right shoulder disabilities.