IBS & irritable bowel Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for gastrointestinal disabilities, including IBS, GERD, and diverticulosis on the basis that these conditions are not related to service or any other factor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and gastrointestinal disorders were denied. The claim for higher initial ratings for generalized anxiety disorder, right wrist ganglion excision, and hypertension with atrial flutter was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 19, 2004 for the award of service connection for irritable bowel disease was granted. The effective date is set at May 13, 1996.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The initial rating for fibromyalgia, bilateral hip pain, and IBS was upheld at 40 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's additional disabilities, including erectile dysfunction and hernia, were not caused by VA medical treatment in May 1995. The evidence did not show any fault on the part of VA or an unforeseeable event.

The Veteran's kidney stones are not related to his service or any service-connected condition. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his claimed anxiety disorder, hypertension, familial tremor, and IBS (abdominal muscle spasms).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and a sleep disorder were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's GERD and IBS are not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected PTSD, thus denying service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's current symptoms are more closely related to irritable bowel syndrome, not his service-connected hemorroidectomy. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for irritable bowel syndrome and bowel incontinence, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The decision found that the Veteran's pre-existing IBS did not warrant an increase in evaluation, while his current bowel incontinence warranted a 30% evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and gastrointestinal disability, other than the service-connected residuals of ventral hernia repair complicated by small bowel obstruction, are denied. The claim for a compensable rating for migraine headaches is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's IBS and fibromyalgia are separate disabilities from his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, warranting separate disability ratings. The Veteran is now rated at a 40 percent for fibromyalgia.

The Board found no evidence of a current skin disability and denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed skin rash. The claim for service connection for IBS was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and service connection was denied. The claim of a higher initial rating for primary insomnia was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to decision issuance.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is currently evaluated at a 30 percent rating, which reflects the severity of his symptoms as productive daily diarrhea but not more or less constant abdominal distress. The current evaluation adequately captures the impact on employment and quality of life.

The Veteran's hiatal hernia and irritable bowel syndrome, with polypectomy, are currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling. The Board denied an increased evaluation for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected shell fragment wound to the abdominal cavity with laparotomy is manifested by irritable bowel syndrome and hiatal hernia, warranting a 10 percent rating for each condition. The combined evaluation results in a total of 40 percent disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Veteran withdrew her claim for entitlement to service connection for muscle spasms of the bilateral legs during her Board hearing. The remaining issues are pending.