IBS & irritable bowel Board decisions

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as secondary to the service-connected major depressive disorder, is granted. The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome must be evaluated by a VA examiner.

The Board has found that the AOJ did not substantially comply with the remand directives and has therefore ordered further development for the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 40 percent for fibromyalgia disability, TDIU prior to January 27, 2010, and SMC based on aid and attendance. The case is being returned to the AOJ for these matters.

The Veteran's IBS is currently rated as 30 percent disabling from May 25, 2022. The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for the period before May 25, 2022.,For the pendency of the appeal, the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for IBS are not met.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased rating for DM II, service connection for left and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to DM II, and service connection for IBS as secondary to PTSD or medication taken for DM II due to incomplete records and need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and examination, including obtaining service treatment records and addressing the Veteran's exposure claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete Reserve service records and unobtained deck logs from the USS Dixie. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The remaining claims for various conditions are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for a skin disorder, sleep disorder, and gastrointestinal disorder due to potential secondary relationships with service-connected type II diabetes mellitus (DMII) and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for polyneuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and bilateral lower extremity meralgia paraesthetica due to insufficient medical opinions addressing their etiology.,Effective dates earlier than specified in the decision are not warranted for the grants of service connection for tinnitus, fibromyalgia, IBS, dermatitis and lipomas, vasomotor rhinitis, and PTSD/CFS.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for IBS prior to June 19, 2018, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter has been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for left hip arthritis, groin disorder manifested by pain, and tinnitus. The Veteran is awaiting additional VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his reduced sense of smell, obstructive sleep apnea, and hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia, CFS, IBS, and a psychiatric disability to include PTSD due to unclear etiology and lack of conclusive pathophysiology or etiology. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided that the issue of service connection for a gastrointestinal disability other than IBS, to include GERD, needs further development and is therefore remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disorder for compensation purposes is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a disorder of the ribs on the right side is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is denied.

The Veteran's IBS is rated at 30 percent since August 15, 2015, due to frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress.

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for an unexplained, chronic multi-symptom illness. The claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder, and bilateral shin splints were reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection was granted for tinnitus but denied for epididymitis, a throat disorder, and IBS.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for IBS/GERD and enlarged thyroid due to new evidence indicating a worsening of symptoms. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine the current severity of her IBS and the nature and etiology of her thyroid condition.

The Veteran's IBS is rated at 30 percent, the maximum available rating under VA guidelines.,Service connection for CFS (now claimed as fatigue) has been granted. The claim was denied previously due to failure to appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's intent to file a claim for IBS with gastritis secondary to her service-connected mental disorder was not reasonably raised by the record before April 8, 2015. The effective date of her award of service connection for IBS with gastritis is therefore set at April 8, 2015.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied, and the issues of entitlement to increases in disability ratings for lumbosacral strain, duodenitis with IBS, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS, GERD and hiatal hernia as secondary to his service-connected PTSD due to insufficient rationale in a February 2021 VA medical opinion.