IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for pes planus was denied as new and material evidence was not received. The Veteran's PTSD rating was increased to 50% effective September 18, 2017, but the appeal is denied for a higher rating prior to that date.

The Veteran's joint pain is not due to an undiagnosed illness. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support service connection for unspecified joint pain.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of fibromyalgia and there is no evidence showing it began during service or is otherwise related to in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran is granted TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, and the reduction in the rating for bilateral high frequency hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been rated at a noncompensable level since the initial grant of service connection. The Board granted an initial compensable rating of 10% for moderate IBS symptoms, but not more.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) had its inception during his active duty service and grants service connection for IBS.

Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted.,Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep disturbances is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, memory loss, and stomach condition (stomach ulcer). The claims for service connection are currently pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disorder, bilateral knee DJD, right hand disorder, and bilateral hip disorder as secondary to his service-connected DM Type II with ED.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a digestive disorder, including GERD, hiatal hernia, polyps, and IBS, as secondary to his service-connected DM Type II with ED.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to incomplete compliance with previous remand orders, including the need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for IBS and PTSD are set at August 29, 2013.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for PTSD is granted, and her migraine headaches are found to be related to her service-connected PTSD. The Board finds the VA examinations inadequate and remands for further examination on right shoulder disorder, right ankle fracture and ligaments, irritable bowel syndrome, and pilonidal cyst removal residuals.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not show a factually ascertainable increase in disability within one year prior to his February 14, 2017 claim.,Coronary artery disease was granted service connection effective February 14, 2017.

The Veteran's IBS is granted a separate 10% rating effective December 1, 2015. The claims for earlier effective dates for GERD and tinnitus service connection are dismissed.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability, ED, PTSD, hypertension, and IBS. The claims of service connection for these conditions are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.,Service connection was not granted as the evidence did not show that any current disabilities were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for neck disability, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), sinusitis, respiratory disability, and psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, have been dismissed. The VA has remanded the issues of service connection for sinusitis, respiratory disability, IBS, and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and to obtain any outstanding records. The issues of TDIU, increased rating for IBS, service connection for muscle pain, urinary tract infections, skin rashes, joint pain, and migraine headaches are pending.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including residuals of pneumonia, heart disease, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, and GERD. The Veteran's claim is being reviewed again due to new evidence submitted since previous decisions.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, including hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well as his plantar fasciitis and obstructive sleep apnea are all secondary to his service-connected ITP. The issues have been remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's ITP is already service connected, but the issue of whether these additional disabilities should be considered secondary to this condition remains unresolved.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and a TDIU have been dismissed as he has requested to withdraw his appeal.

The appeals for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, chronic left sternoclavicular joint disorder, left foot disorder, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed.,The appeal for PTSD has also been dismissed.