GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2025

The Board denied an earlier effective date for tinnitus, denied a higher rating for tinnitus, and granted service connection for GERD.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for GERD, headaches, and left knee disability based on new and relevant evidence. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, heart disease, and hypertension. The appeal seeking to readjudicate a claim for service connection for hypertension based on new evidence was dismissed as moot. Bilateral hearing loss will be readjudicated by the AOJ.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and granted service connection for heart, OSA, and GERD disabilities that are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including shoulder, hand, foot, respiratory, and gastrointestinal issues, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board granted service connection for GERD and headaches, both as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected sleep apnea.

The Board remands the matter for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion and securing updated VA and private treatment records.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for chronic costochondritis and a rating in excess of 30 percent from November 8, 2016, for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with antral gastritis for further development.

The Board granted an effective date of August 31, 2022, for the award of service connection for multiple conditions including adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood, chronic (claimed as depression), deviated septum with rhinitis, vertigo, sleep apnea, cervical strain (claimed as neck condition), left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board granted service connection for vasovagal syncope and an initial 30% rating for obstructive sleep apnea from November 11, 2022 to May 8, 2023, but denied earlier effective dates and higher ratings for the same condition. The Board also granted a 50% rating for OSA from May 8, 2023, and an initial 30% rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Board granted a 60 percent rating for the Veteran's gastrointestinal (GI) disabilities effective May 28, 2013.

The Veteran's GERD is granted a 30 percent disability rating, as the symptoms more closely approximate persistently recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, reflux, regurgitation, pain accompanied by substernal or arm, sleep disturbances and nausea.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and GERD, both as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and calluses of the feet.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for an esophageal ulcer and remanded the claim for further development regarding gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board remands the claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD to obtain a new examination that adequately assesses the severity of the Veteran's service-connected condition without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for GERD and denied a higher initial disability rating for GERD, while remanding the claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease, right shoulder (major).

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for GERD to obtain additional evidence and a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, in-service anxiety, and GERD.