The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and acquired psychiatric disorder (including other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder) are granted service connection as due to a qualifying chronic disability. The grant of presumptive service connection for the gastrointestinal condition renders moot any theories of service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by his experiences in a combat zone while deployed during active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, Acquired psychiatric disorder (other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19129162
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.
- Dismissed
The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right and left hip degenerative arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle and knee conditions, and major depressive disorder as secondary to his service-connected knee and ankle conditions. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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