Hemorrhoids decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as his claim for service connection for hemorrhoids, are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The Board will schedule a VA examination to determine if any current diagnoses of knee conditions or hemorrhoids are related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's tension headaches, bilateral pes planus (rated at 30% since May 7, 2008), sinus condition, hemorrhoids, and cervical spine disability have been granted service connection. The Veteran is currently rated at 10% for his cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's service-connected ventral hernia(s) and/or hemorrhoids alone render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for service-connected hypertrophic gastritis with duodenal ulcer and prepyloric ulcer, effective from September 1972. The claim for an increased rating of residuals of hemorrhoidectomy was denied.

The Veteran's unauthorized private medical treatment for hemorrhoids on February 21, 2007 was not authorized by VA and is denied as there was no emergency condition warranting immediate care.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for COPD has been withdrawn. The Board also remanded the issues of increased ratings for asthmatic bronchitis, bilateral hearing loss, and hemorrhoids for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for hemorrhoids, sinusitis with allergic rhinitis, degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine have all been denied.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, hemorrhoids, and residuals of cholecystectomy are all found to be related to his service. However, the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating in any of these cases.

The Board found that there is no competent medical evidence indicating a causal relationship between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his military service, except for tinnitus. Therefore, service connection was denied for all other conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hemorrhoids do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, as they are not large or thrombotic, irreducible with excessive redundant tissue evidencing frequent recurrences. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity associated with his lumbar spine disability, but did not grant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for SMP by reason of the need for regular aid and attendance of another person is denied due to his visual acuity not meeting the criteria. The claim for SMP by reason of being housebound is granted as he meets the requirements based on his age, combined disability rating, and independent ratable disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is proximately due to or a result of her service-connected bowel obstruction and/or removal of left ovary, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The Board also found no evidence linking the Veteran's hemorrhoids directly to her military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the retrieval of missing service treatment records. The issues include claims for bilateral hearing loss, sleep disability (including sleep apnea and/or insomnia), hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis, all potentially related to his service-connected irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hemorrhoids (claimed as anal fissures), neck disability, lumbar spine disability, right and left knee disabilities, and right and left ankle disabilities. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of June 14, 1999 for his TDIU benefits. The evidence did not show that he was unable to maintain a substantially gainful occupation prior to this date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids warrant a 20 percent rating, which is the maximum schedular rating available.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The left knee disability remains at a 30% rating, while the right knee disability has been remanded for further evaluation.