IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for gastrointestinal disorder, specifically Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), finding that the Veteran's symptoms meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7305 and are presumptively related to his military service due to his status as a Persian Gulf War veteran.

The Board has dismissed all claims related to the Veteran's service connection and rating appeals, as well as his request for TDIU. The appeal is dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected Crohn’s disease is granted, and IBS is also granted as secondary to Crohn’s disease. The rating for Crohn’s disease remains at 30 percent. Other issues are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bowel disorder to include IBS, finding that there was no causal or etiological relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability and his claimed bowel disorders. The VA must obtain all relevant treatment records and provide an addendum opinion.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including scheduling of a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his fatigue. The issues of entitlement to service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and entitlement to TDIU are also remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for a rating in excess of 20 percent for a lumbar spine disability, service connection for polyneuropathy of the extremities, and service connection for hypertension have been dismissed. The Veteran is granted an initial 30 percent rating for IBS-C over the entire appeal period.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the lumbar spine, headaches, gastroesophageal reflux disease, right knee, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board has granted service connection for a gastrointestinal (GI) disability, diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease, due to medication used to manage other service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal service connection, increased ratings for patellar chondromalacia right knee and degenerative arthritis of the spine with mild disc protrusion and lumbar strain, and an increased rating for headaches due to new evidence received since the August 2020 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for IBS is granted, with a rating of 30 percent effective from the date of the examination. The claims for hypertension and fatigue are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney stones was denied in July 2015, and the claim has been reopened due to new evidence. The Board finds that there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and service.,Service connection for IBS was granted in July 2015 with an effective date of November 19, 2014. The Veteran's appeal regarding the effective date is dismissed as untimely.