IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for IBS as there is no current diagnosis of IBS and his symptoms are attributed to diverticulosis.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings and earlier effective dates. The main reasons for this are incomplete development of records from prior periods of active service and additional medical examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that there was no evidence showing he was unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to May 2, 2011.

The Board has determined that the claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, right hip disability, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hemorrhoids, traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraine headaches, and vertigo are remanded due to incomplete records. The Veteran is asked to provide additional private treatment records related to his disabilities.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome claim is being remanded due to the proposed reduction of his rating. The issue will be reconsidered after resolving the reduction claim.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and evaluations related to various conditions have been dismissed.,The Veteran has also been granted a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's IBS is found to have started during service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities which were considered static in nature reached a combined evaluation of 100 percent as of July 1, 2006. The Board found that the criteria for establishment of basic eligibility to Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits were satisfied as of this date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure. The other issues regarding gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and hemorrhoids have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for irritable bowel syndrome, conjunctivitis with history of flash burns, hearing loss of the right ear, and service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for a psychiatric disability, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a psychiatric disability, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

The Veteran's hypogonadism was granted service connection, while the issues of left ear disorder, genitourinary disorder, digestive and/or gastrointestinal disorder, and bilateral median nerve neuropathy were remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 30 percent for IBS is granted, with the effective date set at October 20, 2013.

The Veteran's cholecystectomy residuals with IBS claim is remanded due to the need for updated VA and private medical records. The TDIU claim is also remanded as there are inconsistencies in employment information provided by the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for right leg edema, left leg edema, and bilateral ankle arthrosis as they are not caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected conditions. Service connection was granted for IBS due to its presumptive link to Southwest Asia theater of operations service.,The Board also denied secondary service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's hypertension, IBS, and hemorrhoids are not service connected as secondary to his PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol abuse.,There is no evidence of these conditions during or immediately following the Veteran's military service.

Service connection for muscle pain and irritable bowel syndrome is granted. Service connection for memory loss and right groin muscle pain is remanded.,The Veteran's service records show he served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Gulf War, qualifying him for presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergies has been reopened and granted. The claims for headaches, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, muscle pain, and fibromyalgia are remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorders, or if it was caused by the medications used to treat those conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a digestive disorder, including diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as secondary to his service-connected PTSD is granted. The issues of an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are remanded.