IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2018

The Veteran's asthma and right shoulder disability have been granted service connection.,Service connection for digestive disabilities other than IBS, including GERD, hiatal hernia, esophageal stricture, esophageal spasm, and duodenal ulcer has also been granted. The pulmonary issues are being remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen for service connection of headaches and a vision disability, as well as granting service connection for headaches secondary to PTSD. The increased rating claims for IBS and chronic bronchitis are remanded due to the passage of time since the last VA examination.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for scars, residuals of abdominal surgeries is denied as none of the scars are deep and nonlinear in an area of at least 39 sq. cm., superficial and nonlinear in an area of at least 929 sq. cm., or unstable with frequent loss of covering of skin over the scar.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has ordered another VA examination to determine if the Veteran's gastritis and irritable bowel disease are related to service, including a 1991 gastrointestinal treatment. The case is remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's current cervical and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is at least as likely as not the result of injuries in service.,It is at least as likely as not that the Veteran has irritable bowel syndrome that was incurred in or first manifested during active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to evaluate her fibromyalgia and other claimed conditions. The case will be returned to the Board after further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for PTSD and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome. The claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as a higher rating for lumbosacral strain prior to June 24, 2016, were also denied.

The Veteran's compensation benefits were not apportioned to the Appellant and her child, T.S., because the Veteran was not receiving any VA benefits at the time of T.S.'s eligibility for apportionment. The effective date is not applicable as there were no benefits payable.

The Veteran's injuries, including fractured ribs and punctured lungs, were caused by negligence in furnishing the hospital care at a VA facility. The Board finds that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding the cause of his fall, thus granting compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and found that the Veteran's current disability is due to his service in Saudi Arabia. Service connection was denied for irritable bowel syndrome as there is no evidence of a qualifying chronic disability.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder have been rated at the highest possible level of disability, with a rating of 70 percent. The appeal for higher ratings has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service personnel records and VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions. The appeal will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, indicating significant occupational and social impairment. His IBS with GERD is currently rated at 30 percent, reflecting moderate symptoms.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the initial rating assigned for cholecystectomy residuals and the denials of service connection for allergic rhinitis, residuals of fractured ribs, residuals of right eye trauma, bilateral hearing loss, and a skin disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to an incomplete medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's GERD and hiatal hernia.

The Veteran's CFS and bronchial asthma are granted with ratings of 30% and 100%, respectively, effective throughout the appeal period. The Veteran's IBS is granted a rating of 30%. Bilateral hearing loss does not meet criteria for any compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's IBS had its onset in service and is therefore granted service connection. The issue of whether fibromyalgia was caused or aggravated by service-connected IBS remains pending.

The Veteran's daughter, C. B., has been diagnosed with scoliosis, anxiety, major depressive disorder (MDD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, she was not shown to have been permanently incapable of self-support by reason of a mental or physical condition prior to attaining the age of 18 years.

The Veteran's GERD and hiatal hernia, with IBS, status post cholecystectomy have been rated at a maximum of 60 percent since March 12, 2009.