IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by or related to premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) noted during service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has ordered a remand for further examination and development of the veteran's claim for service connection for a stomach disorder, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that the interruption and subsequent discontinuance of vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31 was proper due to unsatisfactory conduct and cooperation by the veteran.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The veteran withdrew his appeal of service connection for trauma to the eardrums. The issues of service connection for GERD and IBS are addressed in a separate REMAND.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and granted it as a presumptive condition due to exposure in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. The claims for fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome were denied.

The veteran's combined disability rating is 30%, which does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and assistance or housebound status.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, including as secondary to PTSD, and for an increased rating for PTSD. The claim of service connection for colon cancer was remanded due to uncertainty regarding exposure basis.

The Board has remanded the case to consider new evidence and readjudicate issues related to service connection, ratings for psychiatric disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders.

The veteran's fibromyalgia, right hip disability, left hip strain, irritable bowel syndrome, and right foot disability are not shown to be etiologically related to his active service.,The veteran's hypertension is not shown to causally relate to active service. Evidence received since the August 1991 rating decision demonstrates a current diagnosis of hypertension in the context of elevated blood pressure readings during service.,The veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, is not shown to be related to his active service and/or caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.,The veteran's left foot disability, specifically hallux valgus, is not shown to causally relate to his active service and/or caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's mixed headaches are rated at 30 percent, and her irritable bowel syndrome is rated at 10 percent. Both conditions meet the criteria for their respective ratings.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess his depression, IBS, and bilateral eye disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of representation, additional evidence collection, and a gynecological examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 23, 2003 for his TDIU rating based on service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's service connection claims for PTSD and IBS were denied, but his acquired psychiatric disorder was granted a higher rating of 50 percent effective June 20, 2003. His claim for hemorrhoids remains unresolved.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, including periodic accelerated heart rate, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), numbness and swelling in the lower extremities, sleeplessness, and headaches, all of which were claimed as due to an undiagnosed illness during service.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, left foot, and rib disorders due to a lack of competent medical evidence showing current disabilities or associations with service.

The veteran is granted a 30 percent evaluation for irritable bowel syndrome and the effective date of service connection for IBS is set at August 20, 2002.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation or service connection.

The Board granted increased disability ratings of 10 percent for service-connected IBS and hemorrhoids, effective May 10, 2004.