GERD (acid reflux) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and GERD are not related to service, while his right knee strain and left knee MCL strain were resolved in-service. The Board also found no evidence of an undiagnosed illness under Persian Gulf War criteria.

The Veteran's GERD has not been manifested by any symptoms, and he does not have a right foot disability attributable to service.,The Veteran's right foot disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims by the Veteran.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but the claim remains denied.

The Board granted a disability rating of 60 percent for the Veteran's service-connected GERD with duodenitis and history of peptic ulcer disease, effective September 7, 2017. The Veteran's symptoms included pain, vomiting, material weight loss, and melena, which were productive of severe impairment of health.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and clarifying whether his sleep disturbances caused by GERD impact his ability to work.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's GERD had its onset during his service in 1991, including service in Saudi Arabia. The examiner is also asked to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's reflux disease increased beyond normal progression during his period of active service between November 2004 and February 2006.

The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, variously diagnosed as GERD, hiatal hernia, and diverticulitis, is related to his active service. The Board finds no in-service disease or injury for this claim.

The Veteran's rectum condition and stomach condition were denied service connection as they did not have onset during active service or were not caused by active service. The right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee conditions were also denied service connection.

The Veteran is granted a rating of 30 percent for hiatal hernia with GERD, effective from April 26, 2016. The claim for separate rating for GERD and service connection for left knee disability are not addressed as they were not part of the appeal.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for GERD, but denied the claim as there is no evidence linking the current condition to active service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and assigned a 50 percent rating for esophageal stricture. The claim for an initial compensable rating for GERD prior to May 26, 2017 is dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's compensation benefits were not apportioned to the Appellant and her child, T.S., because the Veteran was not receiving any VA benefits at the time of T.S.'s eligibility for apportionment. The effective date is not applicable as there were no benefits payable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral hearing loss and GERD. The claims will be readjudicated after the additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and an increased rating for PTSD with alcohol dependence. The claim of entitlement to TDIU remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's GERD, osteopenia, and erectile dysfunction are related to his service-connected disabilities (back pain and anxiety), but not due to undiagnosed illness or a presumptive basis. The claim for TDIU is dismissed as moot.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and neurological disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a gastrointestinal disorder, diagnosed as GERD, is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has continually complained of symptoms since military service and her current diagnosis supports this.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic headaches and assigned a 30 percent evaluation, effective March 30, 2012. The Veteran's symptoms of sleep apnea, GERD, and fatigue are secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD is rated at 10 percent, and her bilateral plantar fasciitis was initially denied but later granted a 50 percent rating effective March 10, 2017.