The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than unspecified insomnia, a bladder or urinary disorder, and GERD have been denied. The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his headache disability has also been denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support the presence of any current psychiatric condition that is separate from the service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease. For the bladder or urinary disorder and GERD claims, there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disability Other Than Unspecified Insomnia, Bladder or Urinary Disorder, Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 15, 2024
- Citation
- A24037926
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 A24037926.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD was not characterized by symptoms of material weight loss, hematemesis, or melena with moderate anemia; or other symptom combinations productive of severe impairment of health. Therefore, the Veteran is not entitled to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to January 31, 2024 and denied for a rating in excess of 30 percent after that date.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for IBS, as it is unclear whether his condition was incurred during service or if it is related to his service-connected GERD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's GERD is granted with a 10 percent rating, but the issue of higher initial ratings for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain records from Bassett Army Community Hospital and Fairbanks Memorial Hospital related to the Veteran's GERD.
- Granted
The appeal as to entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is dismissed.,Service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood prior to February 5, 2023, is granted. The Veteran's current psychiatric disability is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.,Service connection for gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) is granted. The Veteran's GERD had its onset during service.,An initial 20 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy is granted. The Veteran's symptoms most closely approximate mild incomplete paralysis of the upper radicular group.,An initial 10 percent rating for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted. The Veteran's symptoms most closely approximate mild incomplete paralysis of the upper radicular group.,A separate 20 percent rating for right knee instability is granted. The Veteran has experienced symptoms most nearly approximating moderate right knee instability.
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