GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2021

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues are being remanded.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but the claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's left index finger scar is not rated higher than the current noncompensable rating due to its size and painfulness. A separate evaluation of 10 percent for limitation of motion of the left index finger has been granted.,Service connection for GERD, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus or coronary artery disease is denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service, PTSD, or exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's hypertension is considered secondary to diabetes mellitus or coronary artery disease. Service connection has been remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for GERD and TDIU due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed GERD, as well as a lack of consideration of exposure to environmental hazards. The Veteran is also afforded more time to provide evidence in support of his claim of entitlement to a TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as secondary to his service-connected asthma.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, including a lack of service treatment records and an incomplete examination. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, back injuries, hand injuries and foot injuries have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the in-service incidents.

The Veteran's initial rating for Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood has been granted at a 70 percent level, effective July 2011. Service connection for hypertension and bilateral knee disability have been remanded due to insufficient evidence, while service connection for acid reflux remains pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, erectile dysfunction, chloracne, skin cancer, and gastroesophageal reflux disease as these conditions have already been granted in a February 2021 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) did not originate in service and is not related to a service-connected disability, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, and erectile dysfunction have been dismissed.,His claim for a compensable rating for a right knee disability prior to May 7, 2018 has been remanded. The claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased disability ratings were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeals of these issues prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's GERD is causally related to herbicide agent exposure, including through contaminated food or drink. The examiner must consider the August 2013 registry examination note where the Veteran reported eating food or drinking liquids that could have been contaminated with herbicide agents.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for a thoracic spine disability was granted. A rating of 100 percent for PTSD, and ratings in excess of 10 percent for left knee and right knee disorders were denied. The Veteran's hiatal hernia and GERD received a 50 percent rating. TDIU benefits were granted from November 1, 2009 until January 31, 2010 and from September 1, 2011 until May 12, 2013. The Veteran's thoracic spine disability was remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded all eight service connection claims due to the need for additional information regarding the qualifications of the VA medical professional who conducted a November 2017 Gulf War examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorders, including GERD, are being reviewed for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance/housebound status, finding that his service-connected disabilities alone do not render him bedridden or in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person.

The Veteran's residuals of colon cancer, GERD, and fatty liver with right liver cyst are not productive of severe impairment of health or other symptoms that warrant a higher rating. The Veteran is currently rated at 30 percent for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, increased rating for hypertrophic gastritis post-operative removal of sigmoid colon polyps, and a compensable disability rating for colon polyps have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting any of these claims.

The Veteran's appeals have been remanded for further evaluation of various service-connected conditions, including sleep apnea, mood disorder, and thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease. The effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is denied.