Hemorrhoids decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting the grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and requests for further information.

The Veteran's hemorrhoids were initially rated noncompensable prior to March 28, 2016 and granted a 20% rating since then. The left knee disability claim was denied outright. The Veteran's gastric ulcer with GERD received initial noncompensable ratings prior to March 28, 2016 and has been rated at 10% since that date.,The Board found insufficient evidence of a current left knee disability or any in-service injury leading to the denial of service connection. The Veteran's gastric ulcer with GERD received initial noncompensable ratings prior to March 28, 2016 and has been rated at 10% since that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hemorrhoids began during service and have continued since then, meeting the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining employment, so he is not entitled to a total disability rating based upon unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for hemorrhoids prior to July 1, 2010 was denied. A 10 percent evaluation was granted from July 1, 2010 to April 18, 2019 and a 20 percent evaluation was granted after that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for external hemorrhoids, right foot disability, and COPD. The claim for increased rating of irritable bowel syndrome was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from following or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 17, 2016.

The Veteran's appeals for lumbosacral/cervical strain, hemorrhoids, prostate disability, and hypertensive vascular disease have been dismissed.,The appeal of the claim of service connection for renal cancer has been granted. The appeal of the claim of service connection for lung cancer (to include as secondary to renal cancer) is pending and remanded.

The Veteran's increased rating for hemorrhoids prior to July 12, 2019 is being remanded due to new evidence added to the claims file since the May 2020 supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to December 14, 2017 were not severe enough to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and effective dates were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or earlier effective dates.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU was denied. The decision also granted SMC at the housebound rate prior to August 6, 2010.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the RO granted a compensable rating of 10 percent effective April 13, 2017. The issue is now remanded.,For hemorrhoids, the Veteran seeks a compensable rating but his condition has been rated as noncompensable since October 10, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's recurring hemorrhoids condition was at least as likely as not caused by prolonged sitting in service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no current respiratory disability, hearing loss of the right ear, or right ankle disability. The Veteran also did not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, right index finger metacarpal fracture, left ear hearing loss disability, positive tuberculosis skin test, hypertension, hemorrhoids, scars of the right knee, left ankle, and tailbone, or hidradenitis suppurativa. The Veteran's TBI claim was granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for hemorrhoids, a 10 percent rating for GERD, or a 30 percent rating for dysthymic disorder prior to September 16, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension, skin rash, and hemorrhoids were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for prostate cancer residuals and TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his symptoms.