The Board found that the Veteran's current hiatal hernia with GERD did not arise during service or is otherwise related to his service-connected PTSD, and thus denied his claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: Competent medical opinions were against a direct relationship between the Veteran's GERD and service or a service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2016
- Citation
- 1603826
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 1603826.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional VA medical opinions and treatment records.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for payment of non-VA care provided at Mercy Health Saint Ritas Medical Center LLC on May 14, 2021 is granted due to the timely filing and eligibility under 38 U.S.C. § 1728.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and an acquired psychiatric condition to include PTSD with depression and anxiety have been granted.,Service connection has been established for these conditions based on new evidence received since previous denial decisions.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.