The Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal condition, including GERD and hiatal hernia, has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board also granted secondary service connection for his gastrointestinal condition as aggravated by his service-connected left clavicle and right foot disabilities.,The Veteran's service treatment records show multiple gastrointestinal complaints during active duty. His current claim is based on a private medical opinion linking his GERD to his service-connected musculoskeletal conditions, specifically chronic use of NSAIDs.
The deciding factor: The private medical opinion linked the Veteran's current GERD to his service-connected left clavicle and right foot disabilities due to chronic use of non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including Motrin.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Hiatal hernia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23051013
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 23051013.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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