IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2001

The VA has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness for low blood pressure with dizziness and blackouts or nausea and irritable bowel-type symptoms. Service connection is denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability rating for irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease effective August 20, 1997. The veteran's appeal was about the appropriate effective date for this rating.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeals for a compensable disability rating for tinnitus and an increased disability rating for residuals of a left knee injury with a history of subluxation due to untimely filing of substantive appeals.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, neurogenic bladder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and reactive airway disease (RAD).

The veteran's gastrointestinal disabilities, including hiatal hernia, GERD, duodenal ulcer in remission, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic colitis, have been evaluated at a 40 percent rating since May 16, 1991. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of this rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's status post left arthroscopic medial meniscectomy for a medial meniscal tear of the left knee was incurred in active service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for mitral valve prolapse and irritable bowel syndrome are remanded for further development.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and gastrointestinal issues, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of exposure to herbicides or other environmental factors in Vietnam.

The veteran's irritable bowel syndrome, essential hypertension, and left renal calculus are presumed to have been incurred during service. The right visual field defect as a postoperative residual of the right orbital cavernous hemangioma is assigned a 10 percent rating. A separate compensable rating for Horner's syndrome associated with the right orbital cavernous hemangioma is granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C and residuals of injury to the right ribs is granted. The VA examiner found that any existing Hepatitis C is not related to in-service liver abnormalities or injuries, but rather to a post-service work-related incident.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of a diagnosed condition that would warrant an increase in rating or service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, low back pain, and peripheral neuropathy (due to exposure to herbicides) were granted. The claim for a right shoulder disorder was not claimed. No rating assigned as the issue is still pending.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected irritable bowel syndrome, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development including medical examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, chronic bronchitis, alopecia areata, and irritable bowel syndrome. The claim for reopening of the irritable bowel syndrome was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal because he did not file a timely substantive appeal regarding his claims for service connection for left wrist disability and disability of ribs.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's amebic dysentery with irritable bowel syndrome, currently rated at 30 percent.

The veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is rated as noncompensable, and her left trapezius strain is rated at 20 percent. The decision grants the higher rating for the left trapezius strain.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for asthma due to a lack of evidence demonstrating current disability. The issues of initial compensable evaluations for hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, cervicitis with dysplasia, right foot disorder and stress incontinence will be addressed in the remand portion of this decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient documentation and potential errors in decision-making. The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical treatment received at Casey County Hospital is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current gastrointestinal disorders are related to service.