IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board granted a TDIU based on the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bowel disability, including irritable bowel syndrome, due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology and potential relationship to his service-connected abdominal stab wound.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia, a functional gastrointestinal disorder (consistent with IBS-C), and Raynaud's syndrome. The acquired psychiatric disorder is also granted as secondary to the service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for irritable bowel syndrome and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine were denied as there is no legal basis for higher schedular evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), and irritable bowel syndrome have been granted. The heart disability and hypertension secondary to service-connected conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including IBS and psychiatric conditions, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from May 27, 2011 to June 16, 2011. The Board granted a TDIU for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for ulcerative colitis and IBS, finding that the Veteran's symptoms have been present since his military service. The claim is based on presumptive service connection due to Gulf War exposure.

The Board denied service connection for irritable colon syndrome, sleep apnea, and temporomandibular joint condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's period of active duty.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms did not warrant a higher than 70 percent evaluation, and his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran requested to withdraw her appeals for high cholesterol and migraine headaches with aura. The Board has remanded the remaining issues: service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, a compensable rating for Raynaud's Disease, a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and examination to address service connection claims for sleep apnea, bilateral knee disability, IBS, bilateral lower extremity sciatica, and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for insomnia is granted. The Board finds new and material evidence has been received, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim on a secondary service connection theory.,The Veteran's appeals to reopen claims of service connection for right shoulder disability, left elbow disabilities, and IBS are denied. No new or material evidence was found that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left knee, right heel, and right ankle disabilities, as well as headaches, GERD, and IBS. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss. The claims for costochondritis and irritable bowel syndrome are remanded due to the need for further medical clarification.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU. The case is remanded for further development regarding the glaucoma rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, finding that his IBS was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric disorder and weight gain.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for stomach disorder, IBS, neck disorder, headaches, chronic fatigue, and TBI have been dismissed due to withdrawal. The claim for PTSD with major depressive disorder, alcohol abuse disorder, and cannabis use disorder has been reopened but denied.

The Board has denied service connection for IBS and back disability, finding no current disability. The case is remanded to obtain a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for heart disease, lung cancer residuals, Horner’s syndrome, thoracic nerve disability, and loss of ribs secondary to lung cancer residuals due to exposure to burn pits during service. The case is being sent back for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia and IBS have been granted increased ratings, while his PTSD claim remains denied.