GERD (acid reflux) Board decisions

The veteran's claims for increased ratings of GERD and Tinea Versicolor were denied, while his claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder was also denied. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The veteran's cervical strain, mild central spinal stenosis with small central protrusion at C3-4 and disc bulge at C4-5 and C5-6 is currently rated as 30 percent disabling. The veteran's GERD and IBS are each rated as 10 percent disabling. His degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine does not warrant a higher rating, and his bilateral hearing loss is not compensable.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, including cardiovascular disease due to undiagnosed illness and rhinitis. The effective date of the increased rating for residuals of tonsillectomy was not changed.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorders, esophageal stricture, acid reflux, emphysema, liver dysfunction, edema, and musculoskeletal condition have been denied. The claim for a skin disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not related to his military service, including the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinea pedis, sleep apnea, GERD, and sinusitis, finding that these conditions were not incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and hiatal hernia/GERD, finding that the veteran's conditions are not related to his military service or service-connected PTSD.,Service connection was also denied as secondary to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic gastrointestinal disorder did not have its onset during active duty and is not presumed to have been incurred in service. The current diagnoses of GERD, bleeding ulcers, hiatal hernia, and esophagitis are not related to his period of service.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected injury to the superior laryngeal nerve with paralysis of the right true vocal cord is granted.,The veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for his service-connected injury to the neck with loss of upper esophageal barrier to acid reflux prior to May 30, 1997 is denied. However, he is now receiving a noncompensable rating from that date forward.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for status post cholecystectomy, a psychiatric disorder, and gastroesophageal reflux disease, all asserted to be secondary to her service-connected hysterectomy. The evidence does not support these claims.

The veteran's appeal is for earlier effective dates for service connection and a total evaluation based on individual unemployability. The RO has granted these claims, but the veteran believes he should have earlier effective dates.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for asbestosis, finding that his service-connected asbestosis prior to July 23, 2001 was not more severely disabling than indicated by post-treatment pulmonary function test results.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for carpal tunnel syndrome was granted, and he is now rated at 50 percent effective July 10, 2002. Service connection for GERD, degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine, and low back disorder were also granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PUD with GERD and hiatal hernia warrants a rating of 30 percent, effective November 1, 1992.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee disorder, ulcer, or gastrointestinal disorder in service and denied the claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, acid reflux disease, diverticulitis, multiple skin cancers of the face and arms, and peripheral vascular disease. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service or any incident therein.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic back disorder, a chronic gastrointestinal disorder (gastroesophageal reflux disease), and a chronic bilateral foot disorder. The evidence did not establish a nexus between any of these conditions and the veteran's military service.

The veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease was denied. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the presence of in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current gastrointestinal disorder, characterized as hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux and nonulcer dyspepsia, was incurred during his period of active service.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice connected pension was denied as there was no informal or formal claim filed prior to the May 15, 2001 application. The RO assigned March 27, 2001 as the effective date based on VA treatment records starting from that date.