Hemorrhoids decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private urgent care facility due to her thrombosed hemorrhoid was denied as there were VA facilities feasibly available and the condition did not meet the criteria for an emergency requiring immediate non-VA treatment.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current left knee disability, food allergy to eggs, or hemorrhoids. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left foot plantar fasciitis and hemorrhoids were denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a video conference hearing. The issues include service connection for hemorrhoids, initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, and increased ratings for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for an intestinal disorder, characterized as colitis, diverticulosis and internal hemorrhoids, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service. The Veteran's PTSD has also been characterized by symptoms such as some isolation and distrust of others; total occupational and social impairment due to such symptoms as gross impairment in thought processes or communication, persistent delusions or hallucinations, grossly inappropriate behavior, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene), disorientation to time or place; and/or memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. The Board denied a higher initial rating for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hemorrhoids do not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable evaluation under any applicable rating code. The Veteran's hemorrhoids are currently manifested by complaints of bleeding, inflammation, and occasional painfulness; large, thrombotic, irreducible, hemorrhoids with excessive redundant tissue have not been demonstrated.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and determined that new evidence supports this reopening. The Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions, including back, knee, foot, elbow, hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type 2, heart disease, or psychiatric disorders, that were incurred in or aggravated by his service.

The Board found that the Veteran's back disability, groin rash, and hemorrhoids did not begin in service or until many years after service. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is service-connected, and he is granted a compensable rating of 20 percent for hemorrhoids. The initial ratings for his right knee and left knee disabilities are also granted at 30 percent each. For migraine headaches, an initial rating of 50 percent is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids have been characterized by irritation, pain and occasional flare-ups. However, the VA examiner found small external hemorrhoids on the anus that were reducible and not thrombosed. The criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7336 have not been met.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for hemorrhoids has been granted, with a 10 percent disability rating effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for his service-connected wrist and ankle tendonitis, as well as elbow epicondylitis, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current symptoms or functional impairment.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to ensure the Veteran receives proper VCAA notice and a VA examination for his service-connected hemorrhoids and hiatal hernia with gallstones.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted, effective June 1, 2005. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to August 30, 2012 is being remanded due to the change in his disability picture.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back and shoulder conditions, are sufficiently severe to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to June 27, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment for the period prior to January 28, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings, and compensable rating were all denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or a nexus to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for his service-connected hemorrhoids and for service connection for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and erectile dysfunction. The appeal was not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA and private medical records not being obtained. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, traumatic degenerative joint disease of the right 5th metatarsal, low back injury with compression fracture of L1, pleural plaques, and hemorrhoids, have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.