The Veteran's GERD disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board found that the evidence does not show symptoms of considerable impairment of health warranting a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7346, which requires persistently recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal or arm/shoulder pain, productive of considerable impairment of health.
- Claimed conditions
- hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19190594
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 19190594.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pernicious anemia, and the Board dismissed both appeals.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as the appellant does not have a documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture(s).
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for an initial compensable disability rating for right inguinal hernia surgery and service connection for a low back disability, as well as remanded the claims for service connection for GERD and entitlement to an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and a right hip disability, and granted a 30 percent rating for ureterolithiasis. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, while other claims were remanded.
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