GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including flat feet, sleep apnea, GERD, a testicular disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The decision also includes a request for a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the severity of GERD symptoms prior to March 5, 2012 and since March 5, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, including gastritis and GERD, finding no evidence of such conditions during or immediately following service. The Board also found no direct service connection based on in-service exposure to Gulf War service.

The appeal for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is dismissed. The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a recurrent left knee disability, a recurrent respiratory disability, and a recurrent abdominal disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for CIDP, GERD, PTSD, a dental disability, and a skin disability are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The claim for service connection for GERD is reopened, but the claims for CIDP, PTSD, a dental disability, and a skin disability remain denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an eye disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and bladder condition due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The new examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are directly related to active duty service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has found noncompliance with previous remand directives regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, hiatal hernia, and a skin disability. The case is being remanded again to obtain an opinion from an appropriate specialist physician without an examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicide agents and ionizing radiation, as well as an inadequate medical opinion on whether any current liver disability is related to service. The VA will need to obtain additional treatment records, verify claimed exposures, and provide a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for GERD was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including vertigo and flank pain. The Veteran's complaints of these conditions predate his active duty service.

The Veteran's atherosclerotic coronary artery disease did not preclude a workload less than 5 metabolic equivalents of task (METs), resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.,The cervical spine disability manifested by subjective complaints of chronic neck pain and flares; objective findings do not demonstrate flexion limited to 15 degrees or less, or favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA Form 21-8940 from the Veteran and readjudicating the TDIU claim. The issues of service connection for GERD and TDIU are still pending.

The Board has granted an initial 30 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected acid reflux/GERD, finding that his symptoms have been most nearly approximated by persistent recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation.

The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to his service-connected GERD.,Bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

Service connection for GERD, hiatal hernia, and gastritis is granted. An initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and service connection for a lung disorder (to include bronchitis) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability. The appeal for service connection and TDIU benefits is also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected post-operative duodenal ulcer and secondary gastroesophageal reflux do not render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for GERD was denied as the evidence did not show that his symptoms more nearly approximated those required for a 30 percent disability rating.,Service connection for stomach disability, to include as secondary to service-connected GERD, was also denied. The Board found that there was no evidence showing that the Veteran's stomach disability had its onset during active duty service or was caused by his service-connected GERD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, OSA (to include as secondary to service-connected allergic rhinitis), tinnitus, and GERD have been granted.,Service connection for OSA is established based on the Veteran's credible report of its onset during active service and recurrence since.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to missing medical records and testimony. The VA will obtain these records and schedule examinations for the Veteran.