The Board granted service connection for gastritis with GERD and interstitial lung disease (ILD), to include a right lung nodule, based on the Veteran's exposure to environmental hazards during his Persian Gulf War service.
The deciding factor: The persuasive evidence is in approximate balance that the Veteran's current conditions had their initial onset during service due to exposure to environmental hazards such as burn pit toxins and waste-burning smoke.
- Claimed conditions
- gastritis with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), interstitial lung disease (ILD), to include a right lung nodule
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- June 23, 2025
- Citation
- A25053986
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an opinion addressing whether the Veteran's cause of death is related to his exposure to tactical herbicide agents, including Agent Orange, during service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for GERD, Barrett's esophagus, ILD, asthma with COPD and bronchiectasis, and an initial compensable disability rating for hypertension as the evidence did not show a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a compensable rating for gastritis with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to obtain an addendum opinion on the severity of the Veteran's condition without the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and remanded several issues related to interstitial lung disease, psychiatric disability, fatigue, vertigo, muscle disability, Raynaud's phenomenon, gastrointestinal disability, difficulty swallowing, headache, skin disability, blurred vision, upper respiratory symptoms, and vertigo as secondary conditions.
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