GERD (acid reflux) Board decisions

The appeals seeking service connection for various conditions are dismissed.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to May 5, 2010, meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of entitlement to an effective date prior to June 5, 2013 for the award of service connection for spondylosis, entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for spondylosis, and entitlement to service connection for disabilities of the right and left hips, cardiomyopathy, and GERD.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and dermatitis of the anal and buttocks area are service-connected. The Veteran's duodenitis is not service-connected, but his dyspnea on exertion as an undiagnosed illness is also not service-connected. Headaches are not service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), headaches, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have been denied. The Board found that new evidence did not reopen the claim for a skin disorder, and that there was no nexus between any of these conditions and service or a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus has not required regulation of activities due to its severity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including hearing loss, DJD of the right knee, limitation of extension of the right knee, left knee disorder, bone disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left thigh disorder, right thigh disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, neck muscle spasms, visual defect, hypertension, GERD, brain tumor, peripheral neuropathy and polyneuropathy, seizure disorder, and other conditions. The claims are remanded due to the need for additional evidence or clarification.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's GERD.

The Board dismissed the appeals for numbness in the arms, myofascial pain of the upper back, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). For cervical spondylosis with degenerative joint disease, a rating of 30 percent is granted as of October 3, 2017. The other conditions received initial ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for arthralgia, muscle pain, sleep disorder (chronic fatigue syndrome), asthma, and GERD due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's symptoms must be evaluated in the context of service records and his personal history.

The Veteran's vertigo has been granted service connection and his bilateral hearing loss disability is rated at 50 percent. The Veteran also received a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and new evidence. The issues include fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and a headache disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the April 2010 and July 2015 VA medical opinions, as well as a claim for GERD based on excessive medication use. A new VA examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for GERD with dyspepsia and functional dysphagia, finding that the condition began during active duty.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a groin disability is granted. The Board finds that the evidence received since the last final denial relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. However, further development is required due to outstanding VA treatment records and additional examination is needed.

The Board has denied service connection for GERD with Barrett's esophagus and remanded the issue of an increased disability rating for coronary artery disease, s/p CABG.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations and medical opinions are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, as well as whether her sleep apnea is related to or aggravated by her military service. The claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis and sleep apnea have also been remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities, as well as gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD). The case is being remanded to allow for new VA examinations and a review of the medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and GERD, finding that these conditions are aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claim for insomnia is denied as it is considered a manifestation of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The claims for service connection, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, and TDIU are all remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues of service connection for a right knee condition, right ankle condition, GERD, and lower back condition are remanded.