The Board found that the total colectomy with end ileostomy was not caused by VA's failure to diagnose and treat a perirectal abscess, but rather due to the veteran's underlying pre-existing ulcerative colitis.
The deciding factor: The delay in diagnosing and treating the perirectal abscess did not result in an increase in disability or necessitate the colectomy and ileostomy.
- Claimed conditions
- Ulcerative colitis, Perirectal abscess
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2005
- Citation
- 0500153
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,500 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0500153.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher level of special monthly compensation, including based on an intermediate step increase.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 8, 2022 for COPD was dismissed due to a prohibited concurrent election.,Service connection for degenerative changes of the spine with mild dextroscoliosis (claimed as spinal arthritis, back) was granted in full and is no longer for appellate review.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for ulcerative colitis was dismissed because there is no current diagnosis or functional impairment due to this condition.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted increased disability evaluations for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, but dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board granted the Veteran's appeal regarding the timeliness of his substantive appeal and remanded several issues for further development.
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