The Veteran's esophageal disability, including post-operative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), esophagitis, and para-esophageal hernia, is currently evaluated as noncompensable. The Board found that the evidence does not support a compensable evaluation based on symptoms of dysphagia, regurgitation, or substernal pain.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not demonstrate symptoms of dysphagia, regurgitation, or substernal pain, which are required for a higher rating under DC 7346.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-operative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Esophagitis, Para-esophageal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2022
- Citation
- 22003907
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 22003907.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in the duty to assist and insufficient opinions regarding service connection for a gastrointestinal disability. The Veteran's symptoms include epigastric burning, regurgitation, nausea without vomiting, persistently recurrent epigastric distress, reflux, substernal pain, sleep disturbance caused by esophageal reflux, diarrhea, dysphagia, Barrett's esophagus, and esophagitis.
- Dismissed
The appeal for an earlier effective date of October 16, 2018, for the initial grant of service connection for diverticulitis was dismissed as the Veteran effectively expressed satisfaction with this date.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful employment, granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities on an extraschedular basis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder condition diagnosed as bicipital tendonitis and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and an initial rating of 30 percent for sinusitis. The claims for acid reflux, hiatal hernia, and esophagitis were remanded.
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