The Board granted service connection for GERD, esophagitis, hiatal hernia, and a psychiatric disorder (somatic symptom disorder with depressive/anxious features and insomnia) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected low back disorder. The claims for an intestinal disorder, migraine headaches, dry eyes, and a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine were remanded.
The deciding factor: The probative evidence was at least in relative equipoise that the Veteran's GERD, esophagitis, hiatal hernia, and psychiatric disorder (somatic symptom disorder with depressive/anxious features and insomnia) were caused or aggravated by his service-connected low back disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Esophagitis, Hiatal Hernia, Psychiatric Disorder (Somatic Symptom Disorder with Depressive/Anxious Features and Insomnia), Chronic Fatigue
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21063140
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 Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's GERD, finding that his condition is productive of daily medications to control dysphagia and is otherwise asymptomatic.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and increased evaluations for GERD, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and TBI.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, except for a granted 30 percent rating for headache disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and right hand strain, increased the ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, dyshidrotic eczema, and hypertension, and denied service connection for Parkinsonism, pes planus/flat feet, GERD, tinea versicolor, allergic rhinitis, and tinnitus. The Board also granted a TDIU.
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