The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as there were no symptoms of significant weight loss or severe impairment of health. The issue regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is also addressed but the decision summary does not provide details on this aspect.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease was evaluated under Diagnostic Code 7346, which requires symptoms such as hematemesis, melena, anemia, and significant weight loss to warrant a higher rating. The evidence did not show these severe symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 20, 2012
- Citation
- 1214563
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 1214563.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a 70% rating, effective July 15, 2024. The Veteran's GERD remains at a 10% rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70 percent rating prior to July 29, 2024. The GERD rating remains at 30 percent disabled but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's IBS with GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and development.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected IBS and GERD, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.
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