IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GI problems, including GERD with gastritis and esophagitis, has been granted. Additionally, the Veteran's IBS is now service connected from July 6, 2018 to August 9, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and IBS have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for LEFT knee disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, and residuals of a staph infection due to incomplete records and need for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The appellant's exposure to herbicide agents is not established, so a medical opinion on early-onset presumptive service connection is needed.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and disability ratings on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for anal fistula and initial compensable rating for internal and external hemorrhoids associated with irritable bowel syndrome due to incomplete opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to the need for additional VA evidence, specifically surgical records from May 2021. The appeal will be reconsidered after these records are added to the claims file.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on status post cholecystectomy residuals (Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome) with GERD and Brucellosis are being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the nature of her symptoms and their relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been rated at 70 percent prior to October 26, 2022. The Board has now granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD effective from that date.,New and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim for service connection of IBS.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or link to service.

An initial rating of 10 percent for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted for the period from June 27, 2017 to October 1, 2019. Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and tinnitus are both granted.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is denied as it is not factually ascertainable that an increase in the severity of his service-connected disabilities occurred within a year prior to December 17, 2015. The effective date for the grant of TDIU remains December 17, 2015.

The Veteran's IBS was granted a maximum schedular rating of 30 percent from June 17, 2022. The TDIU claim is denied prior to April 10, 2018. The PTSD with depressive disorder and anxiety issue requires additional development.

The Veteran's IBS with GERD is rated at 60 percent from October 30, 2015. The effective date for this rating is October 30, 2015.,A separate disability rating of 10 percent for internal hemorrhoids is granted as of October 30, 2015.

The Veteran is granted a rating of total disability based on individual unemployability due solely to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as of May 27, 2011. He also qualifies for special monthly compensation at the statutory housebound rate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is in need of regular aid and attendance by another person due to her service-connected disabilities, which include PTSD, urinary incontinence, migraines, pelvic inflammatory disease, irritable bowel syndrome, knee conditions, and sexual arousal disorder. The decision grants SMC based on this need.

The Veteran's IBS is granted as a direct service connection due to objective indications of the disability and it being a qualifying chronic disability.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for migraine headaches is granted. The Board has also remanded several issues including increased ratings for lower extremity radiculopathy and sleep apnea, as well as claims for service connection for a left ankle condition and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened, and the Board granted service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder. Service connection for IBS was also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected OSA and IBS have been granted, along with a TDIU from February 23, 2022 on an extraschedular basis.