The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic rib cage disability, hiatal hernia, and GERD have been denied as there is no competent medical evidence of current disabilities or any link to military service.
The deciding factor: There was no documented injury during service related to the ribs, and no subsequent treatment or diagnosis of a chronic rib cage disability. The veteran's claims for hiatal hernia and GERD were also not supported by medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Rib Cage Disability, Hiatal Hernia, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 25, 2004
- Citation
- 0423495
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0423495.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
An effective date of September 7, 2018 is granted for service connection of PTSD.,A higher initial rating for hiatal hernia prior to May 2, 2017 is denied.,TDIU from September 7, 2018 is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, including hiatal hernia and GERD, is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The Board finds that new evidence has been submitted but does not consider it relevant to the current decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis and IBS/GERD were denied as there was no evidence of severe health impairment or other symptoms warranting a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's stomach disability. The VA will obtain an addendum opinion from a gastroenterologist to address whether the Veteran's stomach condition is related to service, including exposure to contaminated water and umbilical hernia repair.
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