The Veteran's GERD is rated at a 30 percent rating, but not more than 50 percent. Service connection for IBS has been granted as secondary to his service-connected GERD.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found the Veteran’s symptoms most closely aligned with the criteria for a 30 percent rating for GERD and concluded that his IBS was caused by his service-connected GERD, warranting service connection on a secondary basis.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20006244
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, right inguinal hernia, non allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while granting service connection for left knee strain and left leg shin splints.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the claims for an initial compensable rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss, service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, and a left eye disorder. However, it granted service connection for a back disability and radiculopathy of both lower extremities as secondary to the back disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, arthritis of the cervical spine, cervical radiculopathy of the left arm, back disability, left elbow condition, left shoulder condition, left wrist condition, left hand condition, hypertension, and an initial rating of 10 percent for coronary arteriosclerosis prior to September 24, 2024.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.