The Veteran's chronic rhinitis, chronic cough, vocal fold atrophy with hoarseness, and GERD are all granted as service-connected due to exposure to burn pits while serving in Iraq.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on the presumption of exposure to environmental agents.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnoses of chronic rhinitis, chronic cough, vocal fold atrophy with hoarseness, and GERD are all linked to his service-connected chronic cough disability due to exposure to burn pits in Iraq.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Rhinitis, Chronic Cough, Vocal Fold Atrophy with Hoarseness, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2023
- Citation
- 23060579
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 23060579.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for GERD as it was aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, but denied service connection for ED due to a lack of evidence showing a current diagnosis. The issue of entitlement to service connection for anxiety is remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and denied service connection for left foot tendonitis. The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis were rated in excess of 10 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD and remanded the claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, a back disability, and sinusitis.
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