IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's current IBS is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and muscle and joint pain as due to an undiagnosed illness incurred in Southwest Asia. The evidence did not support these claims.

The veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unemployable, as he is capable of performing the physical and mental acts required by employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected ankle disabilities played a material causal role in his death, and therefore grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, due to new evidence submitted by the veteran. The claim for GERD was denied as there is no current diagnosis of GERD in the record. Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome was also denied. The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for psychiatric disability including PTSD and bipolar disorder was granted, with a rating of 100 percent effective from the date of her original claim. The issue of a rating in excess of 30 percent for right shoulder and chest strain (major extremity) remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in notice provided by the RO/AMC and for obtaining additional medical records. The appellant's claim of service connection for the cause of her husband's death is being addressed, along with her claim for burial benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as secondary to the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease status post laminectomy. Service connection for acid reflux disease is denied. The veteran is also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 10 percent prior to October 24, 2007, and the claims for service connection for GERD, IBS, headaches, a sleep disorder, and vision loss were denied.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cervical spine disability, and chronic sinusitis as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or sufficient evidence to link them to the veteran's active duty.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye disability, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as there is no current diagnosis of IBS and the veteran's symptoms are already contemplated in her 50 percent rating for endometriosis with colonic adhesions.

The appeal is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) for further development and then to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, finding no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by service and no competent evidence linking it to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Board denied service connection for heartburn, noncardiac chest pain, and irritable bowel syndrome as these conditions were not shown to be etiologically related to a disease, injury, or event in service.

The Board found that the veteran's GERD and IBS are not related to his active military service, and there is no new and material evidence to reopen a claim for paranoid schizophrenia.

The Board denied service connection for loss of use of a creative organ, IBS and GERD as secondary to PTSD, and TDIU due to the veteran's current disability ratings not meeting the criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for inactive tuberculosis of T6 and T7 with residuals of a thoracotomy and resection of two ribs, as the veteran's reported thoracic spine symptomatology was not attributable to the narrowing of the T5-6 and T6-7 disks or to the drainage of the tuberculosis paraspinous abscess.

The veteran's discharge for the period of service from December 13, 1989 to November 9, 1993 was considered under other than honorable conditions and is a bar to VA benefits. The claims for service connection for costochondritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), arthritis of the right knee, and left knee disability were denied.

The veteran is entitled to an effective date of September 12, 2002 for the assignment of a 10 percent rating for irritable bowel syndrome as a residual of an abdomen shell fragment wound.

The veteran's impaired sphincter control was granted a disability rating of 60 percent, and she was awarded special monthly compensation for the need for aid and attendance at a higher level.