GERD (acid reflux) Board decisions

The Veteran's disability rating for GERD, status-post Nissen fundoplication surgery was reduced from 10 percent to noncompensable (0 percent) effective July 1, 2018. The reduction is being restored.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for his service-connected GERD remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of these conditions, particularly in relation to service-connected irritable bowel syndrome.

The Veteran's GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating, effective since December 9, 2021. The previous ratings were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee arthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chest pain due to service connection. The issues are being returned for further development as the VA examiners did not adequately address the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding whether the Veteran's esophageal disorders were aggravated by service. The case is now pending for an addendum opinion from a clinician.

The Board denied service connection for gastrointestinal and GERD conditions, as well as other issues like right upper extremity and bilateral lower extremity neurological disorders. The Veteran's left shoulder disability was granted a compensable rating, but the lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities were denied higher ratings.

The Veteran's right ankle disability was denied a higher rating as it did not meet the criteria for a 20% rating under the current VA rating schedule.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was also denied, with the Board finding that there is no evidence of its onset during service or causation by any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's Barratt's esophagus resulted in dysphagia, pyrosis, and reflux prior to January 8, 2020. The Board denied an increased rating for this period.,From January 8, 2020 to October 3, 2022, the Veteran had symptoms equivalent to persistently recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal pain. The Board granted a 30 percent evaluation for this period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for vitiligo, allergic rhinitis, low back disability, left hip disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and migraines with nausea and dizziness are all denied. The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to establish service connection for these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis is also denied. The evidence indicates that her allergic rhinitis manifested as allergic rhinitis without polyps, but with greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides.,Service connection claims for a low back disability and left hip disability are remanded. A VA examiner will be asked to determine whether it is clear and unmistakable that the Veteran's preexisting scoliosis was not aggravated beyond its natural progression by her active duty military service.,The Veteran's claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and migraines with nausea and dizziness are also remanded. A VA examiner will be asked to determine whether these conditions were incurred in, or related to, her active duty service.,PACT Act exposure is not applicable to any of the claims.,No rating assigned as all issues are currently denied.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, dizziness, erectile dysfunction, and gastroesophageal reflux syndrome (GERD) as there was no evidence of current disabilities or causal origins in service.,Service connection was not granted for any of the conditions due to lack of medical evidence supporting their onset during service or being related to a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for colon cancer as secondary to his service-connected gastrectomy with dumping syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and B12 deficiency anemia due to insufficient medical opinion regarding aggravation. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the service connection claim.

The Board has granted service connection for rhinitis on a presumptive basis due to exposure to burn pits during the Gulf War. Service connection is also granted for right and left knee disorders, as well as sleep apnea, based on in-service events. The Veteran's eczema and GERD are rated as they currently stand.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's digestive system disorder and her service-connected migraines, medications for PTSD with MDD, and other conditions. Additional development is needed to properly adjudicate this claim on a secondary basis.

The appeal for service connection for a deviated septum has been dismissed. The claims for low back disability, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), sinusitis, GERD, narcolepsy with cataplexy, eczema, and PFB scars have all been reopened due to new evidence received since the final rating decisions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased evaluation due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's right and left knee strains, gastroesophageal disease (GERD) with gastric ulcer, left tricep tendonitis, and cervical strain have all been rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted for any of these conditions.,A separate rating was denied for each condition due to the Veteran's flexion and extension limitations not meeting the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's GERD symptoms have not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.,Service connection for chronic inactive gastritis is denied as it is not related to service-connected GERD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current gastroesophageal condition, including GERD and Barrett's esophagus, is at least as likely as not related to episodes of upper abdominal pain, cough, and chest pain experienced during service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for GERD is granted, and the appeal for pterygium is remanded.