Va Service Connected Gerd

Over time you developed GERD due to chronic irritation of the esophagus and due to the effects of the medications that help control your COPD.

Va service connected gerd. Current VA Disability Compensation Pay Rates 2021 VA Disability Compensation Rate Increase 13. Gastroesophageal reflux disease also called GERD acid reflux or heartburn is a relatively common disorder that affects many veterans. Getting Service Connection for GERD. Most veterans will be service-connected for their GERD on a direct basis.

Many veterans with GERD or acid reflux especially those who were diagnosed long after leaving the military are eligible under the law for GERD secondary to PTSD. You can file a VA claim for GERD secondary to COPD. For example if veterans are taking SSRIs to help manage their PTSD symptoms perhaps youre suffering from side effects of those SSRI medications which can lead to digestive system issues. A medical nexus linking the current diagnosis to the in-service occurrence.

That means many veterans are entitled to VA disability benefits for GERD and acid reflux either as a primary or secondary service-connected disability. The following article explains VA Service-Connected Disability Ratings discusses how VA disability compensation works and shows the 2021 VA Disability Pay Rates based on the veterans disability rating and the number of dependents. The Board finds that the evidence supports the Veterans claim of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to his service-connected GERD with history of esophagitis and hematemesis. This will be in your notification letter.

Once you have established service connection for PTSD you can build a case for secondary service connection. You may qualify for VA disability compensation if you have an illness linked to Gulf War serviceoften called Gulf War Syndromein Southwest Asia including Iraq Kuwait Saudi Arabia. Many veterans are taking medications to treat their service connected PTSD or manage the pain for their back ankle and knee conditions. GERD has many different causes including medications physical trauma and psychological stress.

In this particular case we mentioned respiratory conditions as being a risk factor for GERD. Therefore your evaluation will be the same regardless of whether you are service connected for both GERD and duodenitis or just GERD. Direct service connection requires three elements. For the record defending the freedom of millions of Americans really is a lot cooler than blog writing and Tweeting.

VAs Persian Gulf War presumption regulation does allow for presumptive service connection for functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS functional constipation functional vomiting and functional dyspepsia. With regard to duodenitis what was the reason given for the denial. When GERD is approved as a secondary service-connected disability the rating will be combined with the rating for the primary disability using whats often referred to as VA math to arrive at an overall disability rating. However acid reflux is not considered to be a functional gastrointestinal disorder.

For sleep apnea GERD or erectile dysfunction you must have a diagnosis and provide evidence that your condition stems from PTSD or from medication you take for PTSD. Say for example the VA has service-connected you for COPD. In other words any symptoms associated with duodenitis would also apply to your GERD evaluation.