The Board denied service connection for GERD and denied entitlement to SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ due to erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's GERD was not related to his service or any service-connected conditions, and his erectile dysfunction did not have its onset during service or as a result of his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's GERD and service or any service-connected conditions. The examiner also concluded that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, diabetes, or herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20067050
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.
- 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.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 5, 2018, for the award of service connection for PTSD and denied earlier effective dates for erectile dysfunction, left ear hearing loss, migraines, and other conditions.
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