IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2021

The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding her service-connected conditions and their relationship to her death.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for IBS as of March 8, 2016. The Veteran's symptoms were initially mild but increased in severity causing frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an increased rating for irritable bowel syndrome due to additional development being needed. The Veteran is a Gulf War veteran who may have symptoms of an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and evaluations were dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for IBS was granted. The claims for blurry vision and periodontal disease were denied.

The appeal is dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's initial ratings for CFS and IBS with GERD are denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability was denied. The claim for increased rating of IBS to 30 percent was granted effective January 11, 2021. The claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left ankle disability remains pending.

The Veteran's VR&E benefits were initially denied due to his service-connected disabilities not resulting in an employment handicap. However, since the initial decision, he has been granted additional service connection for several conditions and there is evidence suggesting he may have an employment handicap now. The Board finds a remand necessary to conduct a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) to determine if he currently suffers from an employment handicap.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU prior to November 19, 2010. The Board found that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome and left knee symptoms, have been granted. The rating for irritable bowel syndrome has been increased to 30 percent effective from April 28, 2016.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for respiratory, heart, gastrointestinal, lumbar spine, and acquired psychiatric disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to her service-connected digestive disabilities is denied because she has already been awarded a 100% schedular rating and special monthly compensation since June 1, 2009.

The Veteran's headaches and irritable bowel syndrome have been granted ratings, but internal hemorrhoids remain denied.,Service connection for upper extremity neurological disabilities is pending, as are increased rating claims for cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Memory Loss Disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of IBS or memory loss disorder, and the Veteran's symptoms do not result in functional impairments in his earning capacity.,Service connection was also denied for Memory Loss Disorder as a secondary to Major Depressive Disorder. The Board found that the Veteran’s memory issues are a symptom of his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, headache disorder, and IBS. The case is being remanded to attempt to obtain a VA psychiatric examination for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for OSA, IBS, and Fibromyalgia due to lack of a VA examination opinion on these claims. The Veteran's sleep apnea may have been incurred directly during service or be secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for IBS, headaches, sinusitis, salmonella residuals, left knee pain, hernia, bilateral arm numbness, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), asthma, and liver cysts are all granted. The Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA service must be confirmed and identified.

The Veteran's left shoulder, right shoulder, and right hip disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service.,IBS was not related to service.,Hemorrhoids were not related to service.,TBI was not related to service.,Migraine headaches were not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome due to inconsistencies in the evidence regarding their severity. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as there are unclear employment details during the appeal period.