The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for GERD and service connection for sleep apnea were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating for GERD, as his symptoms did not warrant a 60% rating. For sleep apnea, the Board determined there was no causal relationship to service or any service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms of GERD and sleep apnea were not severe enough to warrant a higher disability rating, and there was insufficient evidence linking his current conditions to service or any service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- June 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19143342
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 29, 2019 for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied earlier effective dates and increased ratings for other conditions.
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