GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for ED, GERD, nocturia, and eye disability (including retinopathy) due to outstanding VA treatment records and additional medical opinions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of all issues.

The appeal of the recoupment of separation pay benefits from VA disability compensation is denied. The dental condition for treatment purposes issue is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for gastrointestinal conditions, including diverticulosis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD and renal stones are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,An effective date prior to July 28, 2004, for the grant of entitlement to service connection for a left nephrectomy is granted.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) prior to January 2, 2019. The criteria for this rating were met based on symptoms including hernia repair surgery, recurrent epigastric distress, reflux, pyrosis, regurgitation, substernal pain, and nausea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), and sleeping disorder due to insufficient medical opinions addressing potential exposure to burn pits during his deployments in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations related to the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and acquired psychiatric disability are inadequate. The Board has instructed on remand that new VA examinations must be conducted with strict adherence to the provided instructions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acid reflux has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from a clinician.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and an addendum medical opinion regarding whether his service-connected somatic symptom disorder caused or aggravated his GERD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TB residuals was denied. The Board found no evidence of active TB or TB related symptomatology during the pendency of the appeal. For TDIU, the Veteran met the criteria under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(a) as he had two or more disabilities with at least one rated at 40 percent or more and sufficient additional disability to bring the combined rating to at least 70 percent. The Veteran is already in receipt of SMC benefits, thus TDIU was not granted.

The Veteran's GERD and back disability are granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's headaches and joint pain, including as due to an undiagnosed illness, remain in appellate status.

The Board has found that additional development is needed and the case must be remanded for further consideration.

The appeal seeking to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The case is remanded for further development regarding the merits of the claims.

The Board has ordered the RO to adjudicate whether there was CUE in assigning a 10 percent evaluation for GERD with hyperextension of LES, either by a failure to assign a separate rating or a higher rating under a more applicable code covering LES symptoms. The RO must also consider the Veteran's earlier effective date claim based on CUE.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back and left knee conditions, do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's scarring is granted service connection. The digestive disorder, including GERD, due to Camp Lejeune contaminated water exposure is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied in July 2004, and new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim. The effective date of service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy is set at July 21, 2011.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for psoriasis, GERD, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and right knee disability are denied. The effective date of service connection for presbyopia with hypermetropia, astigmatism, and pinguecula is set at July 21, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected right foot disorders and gastroesophageal reflux disease did not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 5, 2021.

The Veteran's GERD was granted a rating of 30 percent, but no higher, since February 20, 2015. The issue of service connection for bilateral hand and finger joint pain is remanded.