The Veteran's GERD has been rated with an initial 10 percent rating, but no higher. The Board finds that the Veteran’s level of impairment meets the criteria for a 10 percent rating as his GERD was accompanied by symptoms such as persistently recurrent epigastric distress including pyrosis and regurgitation. However, the Veteran's GERD has not been shown to be accompanied by substernal, arm or shoulder pain, or productive of considerable impairment of health. The issue of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hand dermatitis, bilateral feet tinea pedis and right first toe paronychia is remanded due to lack of VA medical records associated with the photographs provided by the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's GERD was rated based on symptoms such as persistently recurrent epigastric distress including pyrosis and regurgitation, but not accompanied by substernal, arm or shoulder pain. The issue of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hand dermatitis, bilateral feet tinea pedis and right first toe paronychia is remanded due to lack of VA medical records associated with the photographs provided by the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Bilateral hand dermatitis, Bilateral feet tinea pedis, Right first toe paronychia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20079263
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 20079263.
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 granted service connection for cirrhosis, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, Barrett's esophagus, and obstructive sleep apnea but dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss, as well as service connection for kidney disease, GERD, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral arm condition. The TDIU claim was remanded.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.