The Board has granted service connection for GERD and peptic ulcers on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.,Service connection was also granted for left ankle strain with retained shrapnel, right hip strain, left hip strain, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome on a secondary basis.
The deciding factor: The long-term use of pain medication and NSAIDs by the Veteran due to his service-connected disabilities was found to be a substantial factor in causing his GERD. The Board resolved all doubt in favor of the Veteran, finding that his GERD would not have occurred but for this use.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal Reflex Disease (GERD), Peptic Ulcers, Left Ankle Strain with Retained Shrapnel, Right Hip Strain, Left Hip Strain, Left Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 26, 2024
- Citation
- A24049742
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 A24049742.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left hip disability, finding that there was no medical evidence linking his current condition to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination regarding the Veteran's right hip strain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hip strain, as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine and right ankle conditions. A new VA medical examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's hip strains are related to her service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus has been restored to a 30% evaluation effective September 1, 2020. The evaluations for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome are remanded.
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