IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeals for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Specifically, the Board is requesting complete medical opinions with detailed rationales citing appropriate medical principles for each disability and prong of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for gastric ulcers was denied. Service connection for IBS and hemorrhoids secondary to IBS were granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, including a lack of VA examination regarding the Veteran's ability to work prior to his incarceration in February 2013. The Veteran is service-connected for various disabilities and meets the schedular threshold for TDIU eligibility prior to February 2013. However, the Board found conflicting evidence on whether he could secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is being remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for review and readjudication.

The Veteran's IBS and hypothyroidism were denied compensable disability ratings, while his sinusitis was remanded for further examination.,Service connection for sinusitis is pending due to the need for a VA TERA (Toxic Exposure Risk Activity) examination.

The Veteran's service-connected IBS and Crohn's disease are rated at 60 percent, effective from July 8, 2009. He also received special monthly compensation.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle strain and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), finding that the evidence supports these conditions as being related to military service, particularly given the Veteran's Gulf War exposure. The decision is based on positive medical opinions supporting a nexus between current symptoms and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of back condition, bilateral lower extremities radiculopathy and IBS have been granted. However, the Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction remains pending. The Board has remanded several issues including rating evaluations and service connection determinations.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed. The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's disabilities, including right hip disability, left hip disability, PTSD, radiculopathy of the upper extremities, rotator cuff tendonitis strain of the shoulder, bilateral feet disabilities, neck disability, back disability, sciatica of the lower extremities, and wrist and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fatigue with insomnia, GERD, and IBS have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection has been granted for GERD as secondary to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken for service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for her IBS, finding that her symptoms have been stable and do not warrant a higher rating throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS and an acquired psychiatric disorder are denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the evidence does not support a finding that they began during or were related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The appeal for tinnitus, left ankle disorder, right knee disorder, left foot disorder, and right foot disorder has been withdrawn by the Veteran.,Service connection for IBS was denied prior to February 28, 2018, but a petition to reopen this claim was granted in December 2018. The effective date of service connection for IBS is not earlier than February 28, 2018.

The Veteran's IBS was diagnosed during service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations and meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for IBS, including a lack of direct evidence and unresolved questions about toxic exposure during deployment. The Veteran's service records indicate prior occupational exposures but no specific mention of burn pits or other toxic exposures.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to concerns about the competence of the December 2019 VA examiner and the need to consider the Veteran's self-reported lay histories in providing examination opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. Service connection is established for chronic sinusitis, allergic/atopic rhinitis, COPD, asthma, and IBS with chronic diarrhea due to exposure during the Gulf War.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux did not begin during her service, nor are they related to any in-service injury or disease. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's initial rating for major depressive disorder has been granted at a 50 percent level. The claims of service connection for IBS and stress incontinence are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.