IBS & irritable bowel Board decisions

The Veteran's VR&E benefits were initially denied due to his service-connected disabilities not resulting in an employment handicap. However, since the initial decision, he has been granted additional service connection for several conditions and there is evidence suggesting he may have an employment handicap now. The Board finds a remand necessary to conduct a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) to determine if he currently suffers from an employment handicap.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU prior to November 19, 2010. The Board found that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome and left knee symptoms, have been granted. The rating for irritable bowel syndrome has been increased to 30 percent effective from April 28, 2016.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for respiratory, heart, gastrointestinal, lumbar spine, and acquired psychiatric disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to her service-connected digestive disabilities is denied because she has already been awarded a 100% schedular rating and special monthly compensation since June 1, 2009.

The Veteran's headaches and irritable bowel syndrome have been granted ratings, but internal hemorrhoids remain denied.,Service connection for upper extremity neurological disabilities is pending, as are increased rating claims for cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Memory Loss Disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of IBS or memory loss disorder, and the Veteran's symptoms do not result in functional impairments in his earning capacity.,Service connection was also denied for Memory Loss Disorder as a secondary to Major Depressive Disorder. The Board found that the Veteran’s memory issues are a symptom of his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, headache disorder, and IBS. The case is being remanded to attempt to obtain a VA psychiatric examination for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for OSA, IBS, and Fibromyalgia due to lack of a VA examination opinion on these claims. The Veteran's sleep apnea may have been incurred directly during service or be secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for IBS, headaches, sinusitis, salmonella residuals, left knee pain, hernia, bilateral arm numbness, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), asthma, and liver cysts are all granted. The Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA service must be confirmed and identified.

The Veteran's left shoulder, right shoulder, and right hip disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service.,IBS was not related to service.,Hemorrhoids were not related to service.,TBI was not related to service.,Migraine headaches were not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome due to inconsistencies in the evidence regarding their severity. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as there are unclear employment details during the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence does not establish a current disability or an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Veteran's IBS is rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating as there was no evidence of more than moderate symptomatology.

The Veteran's claims for vitamin D deficiency, hoarseness, pleuritic chest pain (to include as secondary to a service-connected disability), heart condition (to include congestive heart failure) and to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, hypertension, sleep apnea, digestive disorder (excluding IBS) and to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, left foot neuropathy, right foot neuropathy, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, neck condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, gout, right kidney cyst, urinary incontinence, migraine headaches, and otitis media are all remanded for further development.,The Veteran has not been diagnosed with a current heart condition. An additional VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any potential heart condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for Crohn’s disease, finding that his current disability is related to his active service and/or secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The decision also grants service connection for gastrointestinal disorder, including irritable bowel syndrome.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including any memory loss, are found to be at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his in-service traumas. His headache disability is also found to be secondary to his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's headaches, IBS, and acne are all found to be due to exposure in the Persian Gulf War. The left foot skin condition is also presumed to have been incurred during service.,Service connection has been granted for headaches, IBS, and acne as due to PGWS. Service connection for a left foot skin condition is also granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for IBS-D is granted, while the claim for GERD remains denied. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for an upper respiratory disorder to include sinusitis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The effective dates for his service-connected conditions remain March 31, 2016.