The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s GERD status post-hernia repair is currently manifested by symptoms such as pain, nausea, and vomiting, which do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under DC 7346. His abdominal scar does not result in any disabling effects not considered under Diagnostic Codes 7800-05. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support the Veteran’s subjective complaints of severe impairment, such as dysphagia, pyrosis, or substernal pain, which are required for a higher rating under DC 7346. The VA examiner found no significant anemia or malnutrition and noted that the Veteran's scar does not limit function.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) status post-hernia repair, Abdominal scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19195003
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 19195003.
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
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