IBS & irritable bowel decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance of another, nor did they qualify for SMC based on housebound status prior to February 9, 2021. The Board found the evidence insufficient to establish that the Veteran required assistance with daily activities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, sinusitis, and IBS have been granted. The claim for a back disability is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder and right knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, as well as related secondary service connection and exposure issues. The VA will need to obtain an addendum opinion regarding possible radiation exposure during service and the subsequent development of prostate cancer, as well as causation and aggravation due to his service-connected IBS with gallbladder removal, GERD and chronic gastritis.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is related to his service, specifically his participation in a Toxic Exposure Risk Activity (TERA). The decision on bilateral pes planus remains denied.

The Veteran's right ankle fracture is granted a 10% rating, but no more. Service connection for IBS and sinusitis are denied.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for psychiatric disability, broken ankle, torn rotator cuff, and irritable bowel syndrome as they are not currently pending. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is also denied a compensable rating.

The Veteran's IBS and chronic recurrent urinary tract infections have been granted initial compensable disability ratings of 30 percent each, effective February 21, 2012.

The Board has dismissed all the issues of service connection for various conditions and symptoms, including back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, skin rash/condition, bilateral feet condition, fibromyalgia, left knee condition, right knee condition, IBS, pseudofolliculitis barbae, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus II, hypertension, and male erectile disorder. The Veteran requested the withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.,Specifically, the AOJ must obtain all outstanding VA treatment records, private treatment records, and any relevant non-VA records. They also need to provide addendum opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's skin cancers, prostate cancer, pemphigoid, Horner syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board has granted effective dates of February 20, 2018 for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions.

The Veteran's IBS and asthma are service-connected, while joint pain is denied. The Board affirms the denial of joint pain due to lack of evidence of such condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the period on review.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including verifying the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents and obtaining additional logbooks from his service on the USS Hornet. The claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions are now pending.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed as he has requested to withdraw all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's death was attributed to multiple blunt force injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident, not related to his service-connected conditions. The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to active duty or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a thorough and contemporaneous examination, which could have provided more information about the relationship between the Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome and his service or any medication he took for headaches.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus has been dismissed. The Veteran's headaches have been granted a 50% disability rating, effective as of the date of the decision.,The Veteran's IBS has been granted service connection based on a qualifying chronic disability under 38 U.S.C. § 1117 and 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of IBS and GERD, thus the Board dismissed these matters.

The Veteran's IBS is granted as service connected, with a rating of 10% and effective date prior to the PACT Act.

The Veteran's initial rating for IBS is granted at a 30 percent level, but the Board finds that further development is needed to address his autoimmune disorder and TDIU claims.