Hemorrhoids Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and procedural issues.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, skin disorder, non-tropical sprue, and hemorrhoids as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions had their onset during service or are related to his service-connected condition.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, residuals of a left ankle fracture, and increased rating for hemorrhoids were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The Board determined that the disorders listed on the title page did not result from disease or injury in service.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids, finding that his condition did not meet the criteria for a 10% rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board denied a higher initial rating for the veteran's hemorrhoids, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 1, 1997, for a 10 percent rating for hemorrhoids with rectal cyst.

The Board denied service connection for hemorrhoids and chronic fatigue syndrome, finding that the veteran's claims were not supported by evidence of a link to his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate notice of the information and evidence necessary to substantiate his claims.

The veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including a total abdominal hysterectomy, bladder disability, low back disability, hypertension, Raynaud's disease, hallux valgus of the right foot, and hemorrhoids. The RO is instructed to obtain additional medical records and review the claims on appeal, with particular attention given to the new rating criteria for spine conditions.

The veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted, but the assigned disability ratings are not as favorable as requested. The initial compensable ratings were denied in several cases.

The Board finds that the veteran currently has bilateral hearing loss recognized as a disability for VA purposes and affirms service connection for this condition. The other claims are denied.

The Board has granted an increased (compensable) disability rating of 10% for hemorrhoids, finding that the veteran's symptoms more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinea versicolor, right knee disability, residuals of a nerve laceration along the radial aspect of the left index finger, back disability, and chronic headache disability. The RO granted service connection for coronary artery disease, left knee medial meniscal tear, traumatic arthritis of the right acromioclavicular joint, residuals of an arthrotomy of the first metatarsophalangeal joints of each foot with joint debridement for hallux limitus and degenerative joint disease, hemorrhoids, and anal fissure. The RO also denied entitlement to initial compensable disability ratings for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current hemorrhoids, headaches, hypertension, or gout. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied increased evaluations for dermatophytosis of the feet, hemorrhoids, duodenal ulcer, and residuals of cold injury to the feet.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for hemorrhoids, finding that the veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The veteran's Crohn's Disease (also claimed as status post colonoscopy) is rated at 30 percent, the highest available rating for moderately severe symptoms with frequent exacerbations.,The veteran's iron deficiency anemia is currently rated at 10 percent, reflecting a hemoglobin count of over 10 mg. The veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7700.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, right ankle disorder, sinus disorders, bilateral hearing loss, and hemorrhoids.

The Board denied service connection for diverticulitis and hemorrhoids, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's active duty. The claim for reopening the hemorrhoids was also denied.