GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's GERD disability is service-connected as it began during his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is found to aggravate his gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), allowing for the grant of service connection.

The appeal concerning a higher evaluation for service-connected TBI has been withdrawn. The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, left hip condition, and right knee condition have all been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has found errors in the duty to assist and remands the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and securing medical opinions on service connection.

Right upper and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndromes, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis are granted.,Right hand disability is denied. Bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, shin splints in both lower limbs, hallux valgus in both feet, and bilateral plantar fasciitis with calcaneal heel spurs are all granted initial ratings or effective dates prior to July 27, 2021.,GERD is granted an initial rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) prior to December 5, 2016 has been dismissed as moot because the Veteran has already been assigned earlier effective dates.

The Veteran's urinary frequency is found to be secondary to her service-connected cervical dysplasia s/p cryosurgery.,There is at least approximate balance of evidence regarding whether the Veteran's GERD is caused by her service-connected cervical dysplasia s/p cryosurgery, female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), and vaginitis.

The Veteran's panic attacks and chest pain are attributable to his service-connected PTSD and heart disability, respectively. The symptomatology is already contemplated in the evaluations for those disabilities.,The Veteran's chronic headaches more nearly approximate characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over the last several months.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bulimia was denied, and her claim for a higher rating for GERD is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claim for payment of non-VA care provided at Mercy Health Saint Ritas Medical Center LLC on May 14, 2021 is granted due to the timely filing and eligibility under 38 U.S.C. § 1728.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for basal cell cancer of the face was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the review period.,Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely PTSD) due to credible lay reports and VA examination findings linking the condition to in-service trauma.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased disability rating for gastroesophageal reflux disorder with hiatal hernia, which was previously claimed as esophagitis.

The Veteran's epigastric pain, diagnosed as GERD, is at least as likely as not related to his active military service. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions was dismissed due to procedural defects in filing the VA Form 10182.,Service connection claims for various conditions were denied as the appeals were filed after the decisions became final.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) as there is insufficient evidence to support that her service-connected conditions caused her to be unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's recurrent esophageal disability, including GERD, was not shown to have originated during active service or due to exposure to Southwest Asia environmental hazards. The Board denied service connection for the condition as it is not related to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination.

The Board has denied all increased rating claims for various service-connected conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction (ED), bilateral hearing loss, depressive disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus (DM).

The Veteran's GERD has been granted an initial 30 percent rating, but no higher. The left hip disability claims are remanded for further evaluation.