The Board granted an initial rating of 10 percent for GERD and denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, low back disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right shoulder disability, respiratory disability, sleep apnea, and scars. Service connection was granted for irritable bowel syndrome, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and MDD), headache disability as secondary to PTSD/MDD, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD/MDD.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's GERD symptoms more closely approximate two or more of the criteria for a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7346. However, there is no evidence supporting a higher rating due to considerable or severe impairment of health.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder (GERD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Acquired Psychiatric Disorder, to include Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Headache Disability, Erectile Dysfunction, Low Back Disability, Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis, Right Shoulder Disability, Respiratory Disability, Sleep Apnea, Scars located on right hand, left knee, and right calf
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2025
- Citation
- A25009069
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,902 · Granted: 11% (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 A25009069.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction due to insufficient medical evidence and a need for a VA examination.
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