The Veteran's Graves' disease and GERD with hiatal hernia resulted in disability ratings of 60 percent for Graves' disease prior to December 11, 2014, and 30 percent for GERD with hiatal hernia. The decision was granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's Graves' disease manifested as hypothyroidism with thyroid eye disease, while her GERD with hiatal hernia resulted in persistently recurrent epigastric distress with symptoms of dysphagia, pyrosis, nausea, sleep disturbance, and epigastric pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Graves' disease, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with hiatal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 6, 2016
- Citation
- 1618214
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1618214.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, and will consider evidence submitted after the October 2024 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran's GERD is presumed to have existed prior to service, but there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that it was not aggravated by service. The Board has requested an examination to determine if the Veteran's GERD had its onset during or is otherwise etiologically related to active-duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for Graves' disease and a need for an addendum opinion on the etiology of the condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia is granted a 60 percent rating effective November 14, 2018. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms are severe and productive of considerable impairment of health.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's hyperthyroidism, including Graves' disease and nodular goiter, is remanded due to the need for a TERA examination. The AOJ failed to provide this examination before issuing the rating decision on appeal.
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