The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD with Barrett's esophagus and determined that it is secondary to his service-connected back disorders. The Veteran's use of NSAIDs, prescribed for his back conditions, aggravated his pre-existing GERD.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's GERD was at least as likely as not aggravated beyond its natural progression by his use of NSAIDs due to his service-connected back disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with Barrett's esophagus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2018
- Citation
- 1816607
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 1816607.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 GERD with Barrett's esophagus has been rated 10 percent from December 23, 2023. The Board is remanding the case to consider the severity of his GERD without considering the ameliorative effects of his medications.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an additional VA examination to discount the ameliorative effects of medication on the Veteran's GERD with Barrett's esophagus.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of GERD with Barrett's esophagus on a secondary basis to his service-connected back disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for a digestive system disability, characterized as GERD with Barrett's esophagus, due to an inadequate VA examination.
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