For the period prior to March 25, 2010, the Veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD was rated at 30 percent.,Effective from March 25, 2010, the Veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD is rated at 60 percent.,The Board found that an extraschedular rating for the Veteran's hiatal hernia and GERD is not warranted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s symptoms prior to March 25, 2010 did not meet the criteria for a higher 60 percent rating under DC 7346.,Starting from March 25, 2010, the Veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD manifested in severe heartburn, hematemesis (vomiting with blood), regurgitation, reflux, diarrhea, chest and arm pain, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, headache, and fatigue. These symptoms are not contemplated by the existing rating criteria.,The Board found that the Veteran's disability picture did not meet the second Thun element as there were no other related factors such as marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.
- Claimed conditions
- Hiatal Hernia, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21012406
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 21012406.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a 70% rating, effective July 15, 2024. The Veteran's GERD remains at a 10% rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70 percent rating prior to July 29, 2024. The GERD rating remains at 30 percent disabled but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's IBS with GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and development.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected IBS and GERD, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.
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