The Board granted service connection for GERD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, an earlier effective date of March 14, 2022, for left upper extremity radiculopathy, and a 30 percent rating for that condition. The claims for increased ratings and special monthly compensation were remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence was at least in equipoise to establish a nexus between the Veteran's GERD and his service-connected disabilities; an earlier effective date was warranted based on the ITF form received by VA; and the Veteran's radiculopathy more closely approximated moderately incomplete paralysis, warranting a 30 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Left Upper Extremity Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25098983
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25098983.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a 70% rating, effective July 15, 2024. The Veteran's GERD remains at a 10% rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70 percent rating prior to July 29, 2024. The GERD rating remains at 30 percent disabled but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's IBS with GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and development.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected IBS and GERD, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.
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