GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including melanoma, prostate disorder, hypertension, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, erectile dysfunction, and cancer of the lymph nodes. The claims are being remanded to obtain VA examinations and determine if there is a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service, particularly his exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to evaluate the Veteran's current employment handicap and whether self-employment is the only feasible option for him given his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were dismissed. The Board granted initial compensable ratings for left ankle sprain, right ankle sprain, and coccyx strain. The appeal of the gastrointestinal disability was remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, respiratory condition, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and GI symptoms such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spondylosis as secondary to bilateral knee disabilities and denied the Veteran's claims for left hand/wrist disability, acquired psychiatric disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, cellulitis of the right upper extremity, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has decided that the Veteran's GERD is related to his service-connected PTSD and remands for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development and evaluation of his service-connected conditions, including PTSD, cervical strain, peripheral neuropathy, TBI, left knee strain, instability, and ED.

The Veteran's GERD and migraine headaches are currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms may have worsened since the last VA examinations. The issues are being remanded for new VA examinations to determine the current severity of these disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 12, 2015, for the assignment of a 10 percent rating for GERD is denied. The Veteran also requested a higher rating for GERD and this issue is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral tinnitus were withdrawn by the Veteran prior to the promulgation of a decision.,The Veteran’s lumbar spine disability was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service connected and a compensable rating is denied.,Service connection for the back disorder was previously denied due to lack of evidence linking it to active duty service. The claim has been reopened but new evidence does not establish a relationship with service, thus denial remains.,Service connection for the skin disorder (claimed as rash) and spot on the liver have not been established based on exposure to toxic herbicide agents or any other theory of service connection.,Acid reflux is not service connected and no further theories of service connection are applicable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Board has determined that the VA examination of August 2012 was inadequate for adjudication purposes and not compliant with the Board's remand directives. The Veteran is being asked to undergo a new VA examination to determine if his GERD or throat condition are related to service.

The Veteran's GERD rating is restored to 60 percent effective April 1, 2019. The psychiatric claim has been expanded to include PTSD and MDD.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including left shoulder, neck, back, hip, foot, knee, esophageal (GERD), ankle, psychiatric (PTSD), and heart disorders. The Board found that these conditions were not related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for TBI, back disorder, and GERD due to new evidence received since the final denial in September 1998. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for GERD is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of residuals of a stomach virus, to include GERD; compensable evaluation for service-connected hemorrhoids; and compensable evaluation for service-connected melasma were all denied. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current diagnoses to his military service.

The Board granted a 60 percent initial disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected hiatal hernia with GERD prior to September 22, 2016.

The Veteran's acid reflux is currently rated at 30 percent from December 23, 2009. The Board finds that the symptoms of persistent recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal, arm, and shoulder pain, warrant a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for GERD was dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.