IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2006

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an eye examination and addressing the relationship between his service-connected disabilities and any diagnosed eye disorders.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for residuals of right hand trauma, residuals of a fracture of the right thumb, residuals of an injury to the right 5th and 6th ribs, bursitis of the left elbow, or bronchitis. However, the Board finds in favor of granting service connection for residuals of a fracture of the right thumb due to in-service injury.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions and denied all claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of GERD secondary to PTSD, a compensable rating for Crohn's disease and IBS aggravated by PTSD, and an effective date earlier than October 26, 2001, for the award of a 50 percent disability rating for PTSD. The evidence did not support the veteran's claims.

The veteran's appeal was denied for higher ratings for his service-connected low back disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and fibromyalgia with irritable bowel syndrome.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on being housebound.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's service, and thus cannot grant service connection for residuals of an injury to the left ribs.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gas and constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, coronary pulmonary disease, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, sleep apnea, and Type II diabetes mellitus were denied. The Board found that these conditions did not meet the criteria for service connection based on their onset during or within one year after service.

The Board found no current diagnoses of GERD or IBS and denied service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board found that the veteran's current sigmoid diverticulitis and hiatal hernia with IBS are not related to his service or a service-connected condition, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions, including bloody stools, stomach disorder, and irritable bowel syndrome, were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The claims for joint pain and fibromyalgia, as well as headaches, were also denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to sleep disorder, and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for heart disorder and hypertension, skin disability to include skin rashes, and gastrointestinal disability (irritable bowel syndrome) as they were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a currently diagnosed chronic gastrointestinal disease, and therefore service connection is denied.

The veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's additional gastrointestinal disabilities, including irritable bowel syndrome and bile salt type II diarrhea, are not service-connected under section 1151 due to lack of proximate causation attributable to VA care or fault.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased initial ratings for his degenerative disc disease at C4-5 and C5-6, residuals of a right knee injury, and hiatal hernia with irritable bowel syndrome. The conditions were rated as 10 percent disabling under direct service connection.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for a rating in excess of 20 percent for hypertension and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left eye injury. As all claims were withdrawn, the appeal is dismissed.

The veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for dysthymic disorder secondary to irritable bowel syndrome is being remanded due to the receipt of additional evidence.