Hemorrhoids decisions — 2000

The Board granted an increased rating for bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus and bunions, but denied service connection for a scar of the left foot as a residual of an injury, tinea pedis claimed as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus and bunions, hemorrhoids, and sinusitis and perennial sinorhinitis.

The veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids are not large, thrombotic, or irreducible with excessive redundant tissue. Therefore, the claim for a compensable rating is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and hemorrhoids, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the latter claim. The Board also found that there was insufficient medical evidence linking current disabilities to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a 10% disability rating. The claims for arthritis of the hands and knees, arthritis of the knees, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic low back strain, and residuals of fractures to three bones of the left foot have all been granted with appropriate disability ratings.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of gonorrhea and a higher initial evaluation for hemorrhoids. The veteran's claim for service connection was not well-grounded, and the current disability does not meet the criteria for a 10% rating under Diagnostic Code 7336.

The veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for postoperative hemorrhoids/anal fistula is granted, with the rating set at 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and assigned a 10% rating for hemorrhoids as of December 1997. The increased rating claim for hemorrhoids is denied.

The case is being remanded to the Regional Office for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran will need to provide authorization for these records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no competent evidence to support a nexus to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his period of active duty.

The Board found that the appellant's claim for service connection for a left knee disability and an evaluation in excess of zero percent for hemorrhoids is not well-grounded due to lack of competent medical evidence showing current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current noncompensable rating for hemorrhoids is appropriate, and there is no basis to assign a higher evaluation. The right ankle disability was increased to 10 percent effective August 7, 2000.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids, finding that his disability picture did not meet the criteria for an 'exceptional or unusual disability picture' as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are well-grounded and have granted them. The veteran is to be provided with VA examinations to determine the current nature and etiology of his hemorrhoids, hypertension, recurrent cysts, and loss of skin pigmentation.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for chronic hepatitis B with cirrhosis, portal hypertension, esophageal varices and depression was denied. The issues of secondary service connection for peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernia, as well as adjustment disorder with depressed mood were also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric disorder is not well grounded, as there is no evidence linking it to service.,The veteran's erectile dysfunction claim was found to be well grounded. The VA examiner opined that his current erectile dysfunction is multifactorial and related to spinal cord injury, mumps orchitis, schizophrenia, and medications for schizophrenia.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded, as there was no competent medical evidence linking his claimed conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes was denied as his disabilities do not meet the criteria set forth in VA regulations.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date of February 28, 1994 for the 100% disability rating for PTSD is not warranted due to the fact that prior to this date it was not factually ascertainable that PTSD met the schedular criteria for a 100% evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the current ratings, and his disabilities are sufficient to render him unemployable.