IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, gall bladder removal, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and gastroparesis as the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain and/or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected rib condition does not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for sleep apnea and a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board has determined that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether he can secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.,A new medical opinion is needed regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome, finding no evidence of such disorders in service or due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The Board also found that there was insufficient medical evidence linking any current gastrointestinal disorders to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal disorders, finding that there was no direct or presumptive evidence linking his conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's IBS was aggravated by her Reserve service. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted. The effective date for the grant of service connection for IBS is set at March 13, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The Veteran's symptoms of chronic abdominal pain are noted, and a VA examination is required to determine if these symptoms are related to his military service or service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded several claims, including service connection for various conditions and issues related to PTSD, TDIU, and special monthly compensation. Additional development is needed, such as obtaining VA treatment records, Social Security Administration disability records, and verifying in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for IBS is granted as the condition manifested during her Southwest Asia theater of operations and meets the criteria for a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is denied as there is no clear and specific etiology.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS, anemia, incontinence, and gynecological conditions due to Gulf War exposure are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia, gout, rhinitis, acne vulgaris and PFB, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (ED), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and sleep apnea have been granted service connection. The effective date for the grant of service connection is December 10, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection is denied.,Service connection for Raynaud's disease as secondary to fibromyalgia is not granted.,Service connection for chronic rhinitis is not granted.,Service connection for neuropathy, right upper extremity as secondary to fibromyalgia is not granted.,Service connection for neuropathy, left upper extremity as secondary to fibromyalgia is not granted.,Service connection for neuropathy, right lower extremity as secondary to fibromyalgia is not granted.,Service connection for neuropathy, left lower extremity as secondary to fibromyalgia is not granted.,The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is presumed related to his Gulf War service.

Service connection for left wrist condition is granted. The Veteran's initial noncompensable IBS rating does not reflect the severity of his symptomology and service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition to include PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety is remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder and adjustment disorder, is granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. Service connection for a colon condition is denied. The low back condition is granted with a rating of 40 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for IBS with GERD due to an error in considering the severity of his condition without medication. The case is sent back for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's femoral nerve damage, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), abdominal neuropathy, gastroparesis, and hernia are deemed to be a result of the December 2008 VA artery angiogram. The Board found that VA did not exercise reasonable care or obtain informed consent for this procedure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification regarding whether the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder, separate from his service-connected PTSD, and if so, whether it is related to service. Additionally, the Board has also remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is causally or etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for IBS was granted, but her claim for service connection for tuberculosis and calcified lymph nodes was denied. Her request to connect her dental disability with service was also denied.