IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2005

The veteran's gastrointestinal disability, diagnosed as ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board granted a rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected disabilities but denied entitlement to TDIU.

The veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking the claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and hepatitis C as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records to determine if the veteran's claimed conditions are related to his military service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied increased evaluations for irritable bowel syndrome and migraine headaches, both currently rated at 30 percent.

The veteran's combined rating was only 40 percent, and he had not been rated as 100 percent disabling during the entire ten years preceding his death. The claim for DIC based on hypothetical entitlement is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, memory loss, and irritable bowel syndrome were denied. The VA determined that the veteran did not have a chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness or due to exposure to Gulf War conditions. His irritable bowel syndrome was rated at 10% effective February 11, 2003.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's claimed irritable bowel disorder and gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic diarrhea.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her residuals of fractured ribs with intermittent sternal pain and chondromalacia of the right knee, finding that the current evaluations did not adequately reflect the severity of these disabilities.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for mixed headaches, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome are being remanded due to procedural deficiencies and the need for additional evidence.

PTSD was initially granted with a 30 percent evaluation, effective September 27, 1999. A subsequent rating of 70 percent is now granted as of June 13, 2003.,IBS was granted with a 10 percent evaluation, effective September 27, 1999.

The veteran was granted a total disability evaluation due to individual unemployability (TDIU) effective January 29, 2001. This decision is based on her service-connected PTSD and the residuals of a car accident that resulted in eye injury.

The veteran's conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, mild restrictive lung disease, erectile dysfunction, left shoulder dislocation, sinusitis, left ankle instability, and right ankle instability, are all found to be service-connected. The initial disability ratings for subacromial impingement of the left shoulder, urticaria, and sinusitis have been granted at noncompensable levels.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing the case.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran was exposed to noise during service. Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is denied as there is no evidence linking it to military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, irritable bowel syndrome, and sinusitis.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, finding that pes planus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were linked to noise exposure during service, a skin rash and viral illness with dermatitis did not have evidence of an onset related to service, sleep apnea was not due to undiagnosed illness, irritable bowel syndrome was diagnosed years after service without evidence linking it to service, joint pain was also diagnosed post-service without evidence linking it to service, and residuals of mole removal were asymptomatic.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully evaluate the veteran's claims for service connection for various gastrointestinal conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of gallbladder removal with irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis disability warrants a 30 percent rating, but no more.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome but denied the claims for all other conditions due to lack of evidence meeting the criteria for service connection.