GERD (acid reflux) Board decisions

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.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease resulted in persistently recurrent epigastric distress with symptoms of pyrosis, reflux, and nausea. However, the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it did not cause severe impairment of health.

The Veteran's service-connected skin disability and gastroesophageal reflux disease do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 21, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been granted, including a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected conditions. The initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and residual scar associated with right knee disability were denied.

The Veteran's right knee status-post meniscus surgery and instability were not rated higher than the current 10 percent due to lack of limitation of motion or instability.,Right knee instability prior to February 10, 2020 was not rated higher than 10 percent as there was no objective evidence of moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Veteran's headaches are part of his service-connected undiagnosed illness/chronic fatigue syndrome and cannot be separated as a separate disability.,Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is not related to the Veteran's service-connected undiagnosed illness/chronic fatigue syndrome, but rather is a separate condition that requires further examination for etiology.,The Veteran's back condition may be related to his military service and cumulative parachute jumps, but needs further examination to determine its etiology.,Service connection for a sleep disorder cannot be established without evidence linking the condition to the Veteran's military service. The Veteran's conceded noise exposure is also relevant.,Bilateral hearing loss requires further examination due to the Veteran's conceded noise exposure in service.,The right eye condition may be related to the Veteran's military service, particularly his conceded toxic exposure from Gulf War service.,Service connection for GERD and hiatal hernia cannot be established without evidence linking the conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete documentation of his Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, which may affect the determination of whether he qualifies for TDIU prior to September 7, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for GERD, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a stomach condition other than GERD with irritable bowel syndrome and h-pylori was denied. The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD with irritable bowel syndrome and h-pylori was also denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his right iliotibial band condition, which he contends is secondary to his service-connected right knee condition, remains pending due to the lack of a rationale in the previous VA examination.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the appeal of his increased rating for GERD with Barrett's esophagus, and the Board dismissed the appeal as a result.