IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2022

The Veteran's IBS is rated at 30 percent since August 15, 2015, due to frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress.

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for an unexplained, chronic multi-symptom illness. The claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder, and bilateral shin splints were reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection was granted for tinnitus but denied for epididymitis, a throat disorder, and IBS.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for IBS/GERD and enlarged thyroid due to new evidence indicating a worsening of symptoms. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine the current severity of her IBS and the nature and etiology of her thyroid condition.

The Veteran's IBS is rated at 30 percent, the maximum available rating under VA guidelines.,Service connection for CFS (now claimed as fatigue) has been granted. The claim was denied previously due to failure to appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's intent to file a claim for IBS with gastritis secondary to her service-connected mental disorder was not reasonably raised by the record before April 8, 2015. The effective date of her award of service connection for IBS with gastritis is therefore set at April 8, 2015.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied, and the issues of entitlement to increases in disability ratings for lumbosacral strain, duodenitis with IBS, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS, GERD and hiatal hernia as secondary to his service-connected PTSD due to insufficient rationale in a February 2021 VA medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the remaining issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, IBS, low back disorder, and radiculopathy.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for IBS as it was granted in a previous decision. The Veteran's anxiety disorder is found to be related to his PTSD and thus not separate from his service-connected PTSD. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, prior to June 1, 2018, is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected IBS and headaches did not meet the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance or at the housebound rate, as her disabilities did not render her permanently bedridden or so helpless as to need regular aid and assistance. The TDIU issue is remanded due to inconsistent evidence regarding the impact of her service-connected conditions on her employability.

The Veteran's claims for prostate disability and irritable colon disability have been withdrawn.,His claim for an initial disability rating of 70 percent and no higher for service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder has been granted.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disabilities, including IBS, GERD, and gastritis, have been rated at 30 percent. The Board has granted a higher rating of 60 percent for these conditions.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the previous remand directives, and additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's claims. This includes verifying Southwest Asia service during the Persian Gulf War and providing in-person examinations for all claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for service connection of IBS with gastritis and GERD with hiatal hernia, and lumbago was dismissed.,An effective date of August 29, 2007, but no earlier, for the award of service connection for radiculopathy, left lower extremity, is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, including gastritis and GERD, finding no evidence of such conditions during or immediately following service. The Board also found no direct service connection based on in-service exposure to Gulf War service.

The Veteran's IBS has been productive of severe, alternating diarrhea and constipation with more or less constant abdominal distress since October 15, 2015. The Board granted a rating of 30 percent for the period from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of lumbar spine degenerative disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, irritable bowel syndrome, and fatigue have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU with the condition that a VA examination be scheduled for his disability manifested by fatigue.

The Board has denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability and back disability claims are remanded due to outstanding records from Dreas Health Care Service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, portal vein thrombosis, irritable bowel syndrome (claimed as chronic diarrhea), asthma, cervical spine disability, and allergic rhinitis have all been denied. The issue of service connection for portal vein thrombosis is dismissed as moot due to a prior grant of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to non-compliance with previous remand directives. The claims include service connection, increased rating, and total disability based on individual unemployability.