IBS & irritable bowel Board decisions

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated as 100 percent disabling in combination, including post-traumatic stress disorder, low back disorder, and diabetes mellitus. The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's impairment from diabetic neuropathy effectively renders him without the use of his lower extremities, necessitating the use of a wheelchair for locomotion.

The veteran's IBS was granted a 30 percent rating, the maximum available under VA regulations. Her sinusitis was granted a 10 percent rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD with probable IBS, recurrent aphthous ulcers, and rectal bleeding were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current bilateral hearing loss disability or sufficient symptoms to warrant a higher rating for GERD.

The Board determined that additional disability was not the result of VA treatment within the meaning of the applicable law and regulations, thus denying compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for neurological deficits of the left leg and secondary injuries to the head, shoulders, back, and ribs.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities combine to preclude substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is entitled to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and possibly arranging for a nexus opinion.

The veteran's hiatal hernia with GERD and Barrett's esophagitis is currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum available rating. The allergic rhinitis, IBS, and hemorrhoids are each rated as noncompensable.

The VA denied service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, and hemorrhoids. The veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions as diagnosed in accordance with DSM-IV.,There is no evidence of current diagnoses or symptoms related to PTSD, irritable bowel syndrome, or hemorrhoids that can be linked to service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 10 percent, and the claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a fracture to the right foot and denied service connection for residuals of fractures to the ribs, as well as service connection for right and left knee disorders.

The veteran seeks service connection for skeletal conditions, including left knee, fractured ribs, and a scarred lung. The Board has requested additional service treatment records from the veteran's period of service in 1996 to 1997.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for ulcer disease and lung disease, finding that there was no direct or secondary relationship to his military service.

The VA has granted a 50 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, effective from December 12, 2001.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical opinions and missing Social Security Administration records.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have an underlying disease process of the chest or sternum area due to any inservice rib fractures to the 4th, 5th, and 6th ribs. Therefore, service connection for residuals of rib fractures of the 4th, 5th, and 6th ribs is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's sleep disorder, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, and GERD are not at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. As a result, these claims for secondary service connection have been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for IBS and GERD, finding no evidence to support these conditions as related to his active duty service. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA examination reports and outpatient treatment records. The veteran's initial evaluations for irritable bowel syndrome and hemorrhoids are being reviewed.

The Board has granted initial evaluations of 10 percent for the veteran's cervical strain, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic abdominal strain, and irritable bowel syndrome from March 5, 2005 to September 14, 2005.