GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a 50 percent rating, effective from the date of the decision. The issues of GERD and left ear hearing loss are dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran. Right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted. TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's asthma is granted under the PACT Act, and his gastrointestinal disability (GERD) and headaches are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records to assess her GERD with gastritis and neck disorder.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, a right knee disorder, headaches, GERD, IBS, and disabilities of each hand. The cases are now remanded for further examination and rating actions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for higher evaluation of GERD and service connection for sleep apnea due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board denied his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the issue of TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to January 21, 2010 due to inextricably intertwined issues with other pending appeals. The appellant's employment history and income from calendar years 2005 through 2010 need to be verified.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure and the current disability did not manifest within one year after separation from active duty.,The Veteran's stomach ulcers are not service-connected due to lack of continuity of symptomatology since service or a diagnosis within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to October 12, 2013 prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for Barrett's esophagus with esophagitis and GERD is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing the severity of his service-connected condition, considering the impact of his medications.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include neck injury, right knee injury, urinary incontinence, alopecia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's aortic condition, specifically whether it is related to his service-connected hiatal hernia and/or ventral incisional hernia. The AOJ must obtain an independent medical opinion from a cardiology expert specializing in such conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the period prior to June 9, 2022. The Board finds that his service-connected conditions render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation and grants TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for GERD and a respiratory disorder, to include COPD, need further clarification due to incomplete or insufficient medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for cervical spine disability, GERD, and right upper extremity radiculopathy were denied. The claim for service connection for asthma was also denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain additional medical records, including from the West Virginia National Guard. The Veteran's GERD and right foot disability are being reviewed again due to inadequate previous opinions.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, gastroesophageal disorder (acid reflux), erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea due to new evidence or further examination.

The Veteran's left knee instability, gastrointestinal disability (Barrett's esophagus and GERD), and heart disability (PSVT, cardiac arrhythmia, paroxysmal ventricular arrhythmia) are all granted. The case is remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for further development regarding his claims of increased evaluations and a TDIU, as the AOJ did not properly consider the timeliness of the August 2008 Notice of Disagreement (NOD) in their initial decision.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and attempting to obtain any outstanding private medical records. The Veteran's service-connected conditions include PTSD, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis, lumbar strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, left lower extremity radiculopathy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and residual scars from the procedure.