IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded several claims for further development due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, qualifying him for SMC based on aid and attendance.,Due to his service-connected disabilities, the Veteran is eligible for specially adapted housing as he requires assistance with daily living activities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's effective date for service connection of surgical scars is denied, and her increased rating claim for surgical scars status/post resection right chest remains pending. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to determine if sleep apnea is related to or aggravated by service-connected leiomyosarcoma with thoracotomy and removal of the 6th, 7th, and 8th ribs.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and IBS are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but has remanded the issue of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of these issues.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for vertigo due to new and material evidence submitted since the November 2014 decision.,Service connection was granted for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to the addition of VA treatment records since the last Statement of the Case. The issues include service connection for an intestinal disorder, a skin condition, a disability manifesting as weight gain, and GERD.

The Board denied service connection for gastrointestinal disorders, including IBS and colitis, as well as increased disability evaluations for right-knee disorder and left-knee disorder. The Veteran's claims were not granted due to lack of evidence supporting a direct link between her current conditions and her military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome (including anal fissures), and hypertension is granted.,The Veteran's current disabilities of the digestive system, including irritable bowel syndrome with hemorrhoids and anal fissures, are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a disability rating of 70 percent.,Service connection for migraine headache disability, including migraine variants, is granted.,Service connection for IBS is remanded due to lack of sufficient evidence.,Service connection for jaw disability is remanded due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as his esophageal stricture with dilations, need to be re-evaluated due to the possibility of worsening symptoms. The case is being remanded for a new examination.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for IBS due to incomplete records from the Veteran's Marine Corps Reserve service. The AOJ must make efforts to obtain these records and provide a response.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome and acquired psychiatric disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since June 1, 2017. The Board has granted a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's tinnitus and skin condition are granted service connection. The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine strain is remanded for a new examination to assess current severity, including flare-ups. Service connection for IBS is also remanded.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability and granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The claims for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in excess of 10 percent are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of fractures of the 9th, 10th and 11th ribs as there is no current disabling rib condition to support a claim.

The Veteran's IBS has been rated at 10 percent since September 2018. The Board finds that additional development is necessary due to a possible increase in severity of the condition.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and IBS have been granted service connection. The effective date for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea is March 8, 2010. The effective date for the grant of service connection for IBS is also March 8, 2010.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.