The Veteran's GERD has been granted an initial rating of 30 percent, but no higher. The service connection for hiatal hernia is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.
The deciding factor: Medical opinions are inadequate as they do not sufficiently discuss whether the Veteran's hiatal hernia was caused or aggravated by her service-connected locking and effusion of the right knee, including medication use.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease with Barrett's esophagus (GERD), Hiatal hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 25, 2024
- Citation
- A24078039
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 A24078039.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia and dysphagia, finding that there was no documented history of esophageal stricture requiring daily medications to control dysphagia.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected GERD and hiatal hernia status post Nissen fundoplication is being remanded due to the need for a retrospective medical opinion regarding the severity of his symptoms at the time of the March 2021 VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's disability ratings for PTSD with major depressive disorder, and panic disorder to include insomnia, and GERD were reduced. The motion to revise these decisions based on CUE is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case for a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision. The claim will be reconsidered based on all available evidence, including lay statements and medical opinions.
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