GERD (acid reflux) Board decisions

The Veteran's seizure disorder is granted as service-connected due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The claim for respiratory disorder is reopened and the Board finds new evidence supports reopening, but does not grant service connection. Muscle spasms are remanded for further development. Digestive issues related to Camp Lejeune exposure are also remanded. Right knee disability secondary to left knee disability is remanded. A rating in excess of 10% for left knee disability is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, unspecified anxiety disorder, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), have resulted in total occupational impairment. The Board has granted Total Disability Rating due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) based on the combined rating of 80% for these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the esophageal disability claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates have been denied. The rating for prolapsed stoma with stomal hernia remains at 20 percent, while the GERD with duodenal ulcer is rated as noncompensable.,The Veteran’s claim for a separate evaluation of colon cancer has been remanded. Service connection for renal failure was also remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and evaluation, including service connection claims for respiratory disability, cervical spine strain, left knee disability, and GERD. The Veteran's claims are based on environmental exposures in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for acid reflux, finding that it was not caused by or permanently worsened in severity by his service-connected below the left knee amputation.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder are related to his initial active duty training (ACDUTRA) military service, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right wrist disorders, index finger injuries to the left hand and right hand, pterygium removal from the left eye, chest pains, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of a link between these conditions and service.,The Board found that the Veteran's current wrist pain is not related to his in-service injuries and that arthritis of the wrists is more likely due to aging rather than service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability, lung disability, back pain, hypertension, GERD, prostate cancer, and acquired psychiatric disorder are not service connected. The case is being remanded to obtain verification of herbicide exposure in Korea and to clarify the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The examination should determine if these conditions are related to service or secondary to PTSD.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, IBS, and GERD are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and new theories of entitlement raised at his hearing. The issues regarding hypertension and SMC based on aid and attendance/housebound rate are also remanded.

The Veteran's GERD has been rated at 30 percent since the initial grant of service connection. The Board found that his symptoms have not met the criteria for a higher rating due to severe impairment of health.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his GERD with gastritis is remanded due to an inadequate VA examination and the need for a new one.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations. The issues include vertigo, dyspnea, erectile dysfunction, fibromyalgia, GERD, hypertension, neuralgia of upper extremities, prostatitis, sleep apnea disorder, and otitis externa.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left ear hearing loss, cervical spine condition, low back pain, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for Barrett's esophagus (GERD) is remanded due to the need for an updated VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination findings regarding the nature and etiology of any gastrointestinal disability, including GERD. A new VA examination is required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for acid reflux allegedly due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, and an initial compensable rating for his cervical spondylosis.

Service connection for OSA is denied. An increased rating of 10 percent for GERD with IBS is granted, subject to laws and regulations governing payment of monetary benefits. A compensable rating for left little finger fracture is denied. Prior to May 20, 2014, a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine disability is denied. Since May 20, 2014, a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine disability is denied. An increased rating of 20 percent for neurological manifestations of right lower extremity secondary to lumbar spine disability is granted. A rating in excess of 10 percent for neurological manifestations of left lower extremity secondary to lumbar spine disability is granted, subject to laws and regulations governing payment of monetary benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's GERD, particularly in relation to his service-connected PTSD.