GERD (acid reflux) Board decisions

The Veteran's GERD was diagnosed in service and is considered to have manifested during service, granting the claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome, including as due to an undiagnosed illness, finding that the evidence did not establish a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's left knee strain and gastroesophageal reflux disease were remanded for further action due to incomplete records. The decision on the rating for left knee strain is granted with a 10% rating.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for gastroenteritis, GERD, and headache disorder have been granted due to the submission of new and material evidence. The hearing loss and tinnitus claims remain denied.

The Veteran's cervical strain and arthritis of the lumbar spine are not rated higher than 10 percent. GERD is rated at 10 percent, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is rated at 20 percent, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's GERD is granted service connection as secondary to medications used for other service-connected conditions. The claims for left and right hand disabilities are denied due to lack of in-service injury or chronic disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient medical opinions and the need for additional examination. The issues include right elbow, left knee, and right knee conditions; PTSD; sleep apnea; hypertension; gastrointestinal condition; acid reflux; erectile dysfunction; neuropathy; diabetes mellitus; and heart condition.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral senile cataract (claimed as vision and eye disorder, residual from 2003 infection) are all denied.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied. The Veteran's GERD is not shown to be related to service or a service-connected condition.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not shown to be related to service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has remanded the remaining issues on appeal due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and GERD. Effective December 30, 2011, the Veteran was awarded service connection for fibromyalgia, asthma, and cold induced urticaria with a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding all issues related to service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, acid reflux, ischemic heart disease, a scar from heart surgery, and a residual scar on the left knee. The appeal was dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's right heel disability, bilateral hearing loss, ulcer/GERD, irritable bowel syndrome, and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum rating authorized under Diagnostic Code (DC) 9411.,The Veteran’s service-connected tinnitus is assigned a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension, secondary to PTSD, depressive disorder, diabetes mellitus, or medications taken for those conditions, has been reopened and remanded.,The Veteran's claim for seizure disorder remains denied as new and material evidence was not received.,Left ear hearing loss is rated at 0 percent effective May 20, 2014. The issue of an earlier effective date is remanded.,Diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent and the Veteran's request for a higher rating remains denied.,PTSD, depressive disorder, sleep disorder, coronary artery disease, hypertension (secondary to PTSD, depressive disorder, diabetes mellitus, or medications taken for those conditions), acid reflux (secondary to PTSD, depressive disorder, or diabetes mellitus), and erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD, depressive disorder, or diabetes mellitus) are all remanded.,The Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for left ear hearing loss is also remanded.

Service connection for PTSD is granted as the Veteran's reported combat experiences in Vietnam are sufficient to establish his service-connected stressors, and he has a current diagnosis of PTSD.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities is denied as there is no evidence that it became manifest during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as an increased rating for GERD. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.,Service connection was denied because there is no medical evidence linking current shoulder conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including neck disability, right and left knee disabilities, tinnitus, systemic arterial hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), kidney stones, and a skin condition on scalp. The reasons include unclear relationships to service due to conflicting statements from the Veteran.

The Veteran's GERD and left foot disability have been granted initial ratings of 10 percent. The right hand disability has not yet been resolved, but the Board finds that a remand is necessary to determine its relationship to service.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at 10 percent, and his bilateral knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent. The claims for higher ratings are denied.