GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and conflicting statements regarding hearing requests. The claims are related to presumed herbicide agent exposure, but no VA examiner has provided an opinion on whether any of the claimed conditions are related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for various conditions, including COPD, Graves' disease, stomach problems, chronic pain syndrome, coronary atherosclerosis with stent, hypertension, reflux, and psychiatric disabilities have been granted. The issues of service connection for otitis externa, otitis media, cold injury residuals of the upper and lower extremities are also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the eligibility criteria for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment under VA regulations.

The Veteran's ulcerative colitis is granted as service connected. The Veteran's GERD is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's GERD is caused by his service-connected anxiety disorder, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The Board also found that there was no evidence of a back disorder or right piriformis strain during service, but remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for service connection due to his June 2018 VA Form 9 not being timely filed, as clear evidence has not been presented to rebut the presumption of regularity in the mailing of the July 2017 Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder are rated at 70 percent, while his GERD is rated at 30 percent. The appeal for TDIU was withdrawn, and the left ankle disability is remanded.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, characterized as peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is granted as secondary to his use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The Board finds that the weight of evidence supports a grant of service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease were not granted an increased rating as they did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.,Service connection was denied for right knee strain, left knee strain, and right ankle condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of certain medical records and a need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for GERD and COPD as they are related to military environmental exposures at Camp Lejeune. Additional VA examinations will be conducted to determine if these conditions are service-connected.

The Veteran's GERD has been rated at 10% since March 2012. The Board granted a 30% rating for GERD effective from the date of the claim, November 2010, based on evidence showing considerable impairment due to persistent symptoms.

The Veteran's auditory processing disorder, patellofemoral pain syndrome and left knee strain, and GERD with hiatal hernia are all granted. The Veteran is assigned a 10 percent rating for his GERD with hiatal hernia.

The Veteran's gastritis with GERD has been rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there is no evidence of considerable impairment of health.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 30 percent prior to March 24, 2021 and in excess of 30 percent from that date.,The Veteran's hypertension was not rated higher than 10 percent prior to March 24, 2021. From March 24, 2021 onwards, the rating is denied as there are no episodes meeting the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of malaria. The Board found new and material evidence to reopen his claims for headaches, PTSD (claimed as depression and anxiety), stomach disorder (GERD), and respiratory disorder.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder, including symptoms of diarrhea and constipation with abdominal pain, is granted service connection. Service connection for GERD is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70% rating, effective April 22, 2016. GERD service connection is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents (PACT Act, Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune) for additional development.