Hemorrhoids decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for internal hemorrhoids, including as secondary to right anal scarring, will be reconsidered with additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of right hand/finger injuries and hemorrhoids have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had a history of in-service injuries to his hands, including lacerations, subungual hematomas, fractures, and sprains, which are considered direct service connection cases.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, bilateral foot disability (pes planus and plantar fasciitis), and hemorrhoids are not service-connected due to his dishonorable discharge from active duty.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim to reopen the endometriosis was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected left tonsil squamous cell carcinoma residuals, esophageal irritation and narrowing, acid reflux, surgical scar residuals, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The Veteran is also found to have hemorrhoids that are secondary to his service-connected disabilities, as well as erectile dysfunction which is secondary to the same. Service connection for loss of lower teeth has been established for dental purposes only.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for right hip disorder and hemorrhoids, as well as denying increased ratings for low back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's low back disability was rated at 20 percent prior to September 12, 2016, and a separate 10 percent rating was assigned for left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU due to the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, cold injury, irritable bowel syndrome, and hemorrhoids. The effective date for this decision is February 11, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for hemorrhoids was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for any of the requested increased ratings.

The Board has determined that an effective date prior to March 31, 2009 for the award of a 20 percent disability rating for hemorrhoids is not warranted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current hemorrhoids are at least as likely as not related to his period of active service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,Tinnitus is attributable to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment for the entire appellate period prior to May 31, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient development regarding exposure to Agent Orange and treatment records from San Diego Naval Hospital.

The Board found that the Veteran's hemorrhoid condition did not develop during his active service and is not related to any injury or disease incurred in service. The VA examiner concluded that the current hemorrhoid condition was not directly related to his military service.

The Board has ordered additional development regarding the Veteran's TDIU claim, including obtaining employment information and a VA examination to assess his occupational impairment due to service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, nephritis with nephrolithiasis, tinnitus, tendonitis of the right and left ankles, and hemorrhoids, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's disability ratings were reduced from 40 percent to 10 percent for lumbosacral paravertebral myositis, effective June 1, 2011. The reduction was found to be proper as there had been no actual improvement in the Veteran's condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's post-sphincterotomy hemorrhoids with decreased sphincter tone disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 60 percent from March 17, 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's hemorrhoids were not incurred in service and are not otherwise causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service. The claim for an increased rating for his back disability is remanded due to inadequate examination reports.