The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, variously diagnosed as GERD, hiatal hernia, and diverticulitis, is related to his active service. The Board finds no in-service disease or injury for this claim.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence of a gastrointestinal disability during service, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current gastrointestinal disability is related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Gastrointestinal Disability (GERD, Hiatal Hernia, Diverticulitis), Cardiac Disability, Hypertension, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Bipolar Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2018
- Citation
- 1802028
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1802028.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
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