The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for his gastroesophageal disability is granted, with the effective date set at June 5, 1973.
The deciding factor: The Veteran filed a claim within one year of separation from active duty and provided evidence that established his entitlement to service connection prior to the initial denial. The RO did not attempt to schedule an examination based on the October 1974 lay statement or address whether such evidence was new and material.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal dysmotility, sliding hiatal hernia with reflux, gastritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19178639
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.
- Granted
The Board granted a rating of 60 percent from January 27, 2016 to July 7, 2022 for the Veteran's duodenal ulcer, duodenitis, gastritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating and an increased rating for gastritis, gastroenteritis, and GERD to obtain a retrospective medical opinion on the severity of the Veteran's symptoms without the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for service-connected gastritis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for gastritis, finding new and relevant evidence that the Veteran's current diagnosis of gastritis had its onset in service.
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