The Board found that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder did not have its onset during active service and is not etiologically related to active service. The Board also determined that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the GERD is less likely as not proximately due to or the result of medication taken for years for arthritis of the knees, and anti-inflammatory medications such as Motrin have no known deleterious effect on LES function.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal disorder (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 10, 2016
- Citation
- 1631884
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 1631884.
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 Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a gastrointestinal disorder and left knee disability due to incomplete examinations. The AOJ must schedule new examinations and readjudicate the cases.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of his reports of in-service symptoms and treatment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, heart disorder, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), and erectile dysfunction. The case will be remanded to allow for further examination and opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, heart disorder, and GERD due to potential issues with the opinions provided. The ED claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the underlying conditions.
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.