Hemorrhoids decisions — 2016

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hemorrhoids and heart murmur disabilities. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current hemorrhoids disability that was initially manifested in service or is otherwise etiologically related to service, and also concluded that he does not have a heart disability to include a heart murmur.

The Veteran's GERD has been manifested by persistently recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal arm or shoulder pain, productive of considerable impairment of health. The Board finds that a higher initial 30 percent rating is warranted for GERD.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for chronic headaches, a gastrointestinal disability (diarrhea and hemorrhoids), chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate, and hypertension. The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered in relation to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a new examination.

The Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids are manifested by persistent bleeding with fissures, and the Board has granted a 20 percent rating for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher rating for hemorrhoids, so the Board has dismissed the case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including schizoaffective disorder and bilateral inguinal hernias, do not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment. He is rated at 100% for schizoaffective disorder since December 20, 2013, but his other disabilities are rated less than 60%. The Board denied the TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids do not warrant a compensable rating as they have been manifested by mild or moderate internal or external hemorrhoids.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids warrant a 10 percent rating, effective November 16, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his degenerative arthritis of the bilateral knees and enlarged prostate with urinary frequency were denied. The Veteran's hemorrhoids are rated at 10 percent, but not compensable.

The Veteran's post-operative residuals of hemorrhoidectomies with anal stricture are currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has granted a separate noncompensable disability rating for internal hemorrhoids under Diagnostic Code 7336. The Veteran is now rated at 60 percent for his primary condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected hemorrhoids is denied as the current evaluation of 10 percent already accounts for the symptoms described, including large and thrombotic external hemorrhoids with bleeding.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU prior to August 11, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2 and coronary artery disease. The other issues remain pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection is denied for all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 27, 2011. The Board denied the claim for TDIU based on the evidence showing that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant a grant of increased ratings or TDIU. The evidence does not support an increase in rating for hemorrhoids, and there is no indication of diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed low back, right knee, left knee, and hemorrhoid disabilities are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of service connection for hemorrhoids and hypertension.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking a rating in excess of 50 percent for anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified (mixed anxiety depressive disorder).