IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2024

The Board granted an initial rating of 10 percent for tension headaches and a 60 percent rating for GERD, but remanded the claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for right inguinal hernia scar, obstructive sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction (ED), bilateral hypermetropia and astigmatism, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD is denied as there is no probative, competent medical evidence that the Veteran had dilation of the esophagus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS and hemorrhoids, finding that there is no persuasive evidence of a present disability related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for GERD, erectile dysfunction, and IBS due to service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's GERD, erectile dysfunction, and IBS are being reviewed again as part of this process.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 7, 2020 for a 30 percent rating for IBS is granted. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date was April 7, 2020 as the claim has been continuously pursued.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, scars, diabetes mellitus type II, left thumb tenosynovitis, dermatitis, and tinnitus have all been denied.,The effective date for the award of service connection for IBS has been dismissed as a matter of law.

The Veteran's service-connected IBS with diverticulitis was reduced from 30% to noncompensable (0%) due to improvement in his condition. The reduction was improper, and the rating has been restored to 30%. Effective October 1, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), finding no evidence of a current disability or causal relationship to the Veteran's service-connected Crohn's disease.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied as it is a freestanding claim that must be dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for irritable bowel syndrome is denied because no communication prior to March 14, 2022 can be interpreted as an intent to file a formal or informal claim.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress and traumatic brain injury has rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since January 2022, qualifying for a TDIU. Additionally, the Veteran is in receipt of SMC at the housebound rate due to additional service-connected disabilities. The claim for bilateral pes planus remains pending as it involves duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's stomach and intestinal problems, claimed as irritable bowel syndrome, are remanded due to a lack of an examination addressing the nature and etiology of his symptoms.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of IBS, and the Board dismissed the case.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's IBS is directly related to his service, specifically exposure to burn pits, and whether it is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for initial compensable ratings for allergic rhinitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and service connection for asthma.

The Veteran's IBS, GERD, and gastritis symptoms have not manifested as severe impairment of health. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU), which was granted in December 2021 with an effective date of August 5, 2010. The Board has determined that there may be evidence indicating that the Veteran's conditions increased his unemployability prior to this date and has therefore remanded the case for a referral to VA's Director of Compensation Service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted as the condition became manifest during active service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.,Service connection for headaches, to include migraines and migraine variants, is denied. The Board found no evidence of onset or chronicity of symptoms in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's request for a higher-level review (HLR) of his January 7, 2021 rating decision is timely and grants the claim for service connection for IBS and gastroparesis.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and bilateral shin splints.,There is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition for any of the claimed disabilities.