IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2014

The Veteran's migraines are rated at a maximum of 50 percent, effective July 31, 2008. The Board also granted entitlement to TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected TBI with headaches are rated at 10 percent effective July 11, 2014. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for the period prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome first manifested during service and is therefore incurred in service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting IBS clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that it was aggravated by service. Therefore, service connection for IBS is not established.

The Veteran seeks service connection for gastrointestinal disorders including diverticular disease, IBS and reflux. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the claim.

The Veteran's initial ratings for pseudofolliculitis barbae and irritable bowel syndrome have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's conditions are related to his service and have granted service connection for all claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and IBS were denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for chronic kidney disease and gout have been granted.,Chronic kidney disease was granted secondary to hypertension, with an effective date of November 22, 2010. Gout was granted as secondary to chronic kidney disease from hypertension, with an effective date of April 30, 2010.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the functional impact of her service-connected disabilities on her employability.

The Board has granted service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his period of active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is currently pending due to a remand request. The issues include seeking higher initial ratings for PTSD, lumbar spine arthritis, IBS, and hyperhidrosis.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, a neurologic disorder (to include Parkinson's disease), a headache disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, and a heart disorder. The Veteran did not have any of these conditions during service or within one year after separation, and the evidence does not support a finding that they were incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral shin splints or irritable bowel syndrome, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service treatment records are negative for complaints of, or treatment for, spine, left shoulder, or lung disabilities. The earliest post-service clinical evidence of possible acid reflux is more than twenty years after separation from service.,There is no competent credible evidence of record that reflects that the Veteran has a lung disability causally related to, or aggravated by, service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of his gastrointestinal disabilities and their relationship to service, including as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected IBS, effective May 12, 2011. The claim was reopened due to new evidence received since the January 2002 denial of service connection.

The Veteran's IBS has resulted in severe symptoms including diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distress, and fecal leakage. The Board granted a 60 percent disability rating effective January 17, 2012.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as the representative has withdrawn them.

The Veteran's traumatic brain injury and obstructive sleep apnea are found to be service-connected. The PTSD is assigned a 50% disability rating, the left knee and right knee conditions are each rated at 10%, the shoulder strains are not service-connected, the wrist condition does not meet criteria for a higher rating, the spine strain is rated at 10%, the ankle strains do not warrant a higher rating, the hiatal hernia with GERD is rated at 10%, and the headaches are assigned a 30% disability rating. The Veteran's hypertension, DVT, restless leg syndrome, IBS, erectile dysfunction, and hypertensive cardiovascular disease are each rated at 10%.

The Veteran's heart disability and IBS have been granted service connection, with a 30% rating for IBS. The Veteran is also individually unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.