IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2002

The Board found that the veteran's irritable bowel syndrome was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is not related to her service-connected hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter with distal esophagitis. The claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome was denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, and right ear hearing loss. The claim of service connection for headaches was reopened but remains denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected chronic gastritis with irritable bowel syndrome, finding that his symptoms more nearly approximate a 30 percent rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection on all issues related to the veteran's end-stage renal disease and its complications, finding that no new evidence had been submitted to warrant such changes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) began during her active service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 30 percent rating for irritable bowel syndrome. The low back disability issue is pending as the RO has not adjudicated it yet.

The Board found that the veteran's digestive system disorder, cervical spine and shoulder disorders, thoracic spine disorder, and urinary and fecal incontinence and erectile dysfunction were not incurred or aggravated by military service and are not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury.

The veteran's gastrointestinal symptoms, diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome, are presumed to have been incurred in service. The veteran does not suffer from infertility or a current skin disability. The veteran's bleeding gums were attributed to a known medical diagnosis of gingivitis with periodontitis.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were generally granted, with some issues receiving specific evaluations.

The veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is currently rated at 30 percent, effective from November 1991. The noncompensable evaluation for tinea pedis remains unchanged.

The Board found that the veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was not incurred or aggravated by active military service and denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has found that the veteran's irritable bowel syndrome began during active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's service-connected gastrointestinal disability, including her irritable bowel syndrome and gastric ulcer, has resulted in moderate symptoms of alternating diarrhea and constipation with some weight loss and episodes of abdominal distress. The rating assigned is 20 percent disabling effective July 9, 1998.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings and evaluations for his service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected irritable bowel syndrome and residuals of gall bladder removal, both rated at 30 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic arthritis of multiple joints and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for irritable bowel syndrome were denied. The veteran was granted service connection for post-traumatic arthritis of the right hip, but not for other joints. For irritable bowel syndrome, the Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of post-traumatic arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for PTSD and a 30 percent rating for IBS, finding that the earliest date of entitlement was April 1, 1994 for PTSD and October 11, 1989 for IBS.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claims are granted for left foot injury, chronic respiratory condition (undiagnosed illness), joint pain, swelling, and weakness of the lower extremities, bilateral, gastrointestinal disorder (irritable bowel syndrome), migraine and tension headaches, fatigue, and back disability. The conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board found that the veteran's irritable bowel syndrome with gastroesophageal reflux disease and diverticulosis warranted a rating of 10 percent, but not in excess. The condition was characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, and his rib fractures do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.