IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, GERD, hypertension, or IBS. The claims have been denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression and anxiety, headaches, residuals of infarction of the left cerebellum (including facial numbness and facial paresthesia), and irritable bowel syndrome.,An initial evaluation of 30 percent for headaches is granted effective June 29, 2005.

The Board has granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and hypertension, finding that the veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317 due to his service in the Persian Gulf War, and that his hypertension may be presumed as a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317. The Board also found that there was no direct or secondary service connection for hypertension.

The Board finds that an effective date of November 26, 1997, is warranted for the grant of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the reduction of benefits due to incarceration was proper and that the other claims were not supported by evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for enucleation of the right eye, residuals of a right shoulder injury, and residuals of a fractured left forearm, facial bones, and ribs due to his service-connected hepatitis.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for gastrointestinal disorders, including ulcer, GERD, and IBS with chronic constipation. The case is being remanded to provide a VA examination and obtain a medical opinion regarding whether her current gastrointestinal disorder began in service or was caused by her service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic disability manifested by joint pain, fatigue, irritable bowel and/or chest pain did not have its onset during service or is otherwise related to his military service. The claim was denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disorder, and the GERD and IBS residuals did not meet criteria for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent. The left thumb amputation was rated appropriately based on symptoms and history.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and denied all claims for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected irritable bowel syndrome and bowel incontinence, as well as their impact on his ability to work. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated as 100 percent disabling in combination, including post-traumatic stress disorder, low back disorder, and diabetes mellitus. The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's impairment from diabetic neuropathy effectively renders him without the use of his lower extremities, necessitating the use of a wheelchair for locomotion.

The veteran's IBS was granted a 30 percent rating, the maximum available under VA regulations. Her sinusitis was granted a 10 percent rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD with probable IBS, recurrent aphthous ulcers, and rectal bleeding were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current bilateral hearing loss disability or sufficient symptoms to warrant a higher rating for GERD.

The Board determined that additional disability was not the result of VA treatment within the meaning of the applicable law and regulations, thus denying compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for neurological deficits of the left leg and secondary injuries to the head, shoulders, back, and ribs.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities combine to preclude substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is entitled to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and possibly arranging for a nexus opinion.

The veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD and Barrett's esophagitis is currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum available rating. The allergic rhinitis, IBS, and hemorrhoids are each rated as noncompensable.

The VA denied service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, and hemorrhoids. The veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions as diagnosed in accordance with DSM-IV.,There is no evidence of current diagnoses or symptoms related to PTSD, irritable bowel syndrome, or hemorrhoids that can be linked to service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.