The Veteran's chronic gastrointestinal disability is found to be at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected back disabilities and the medications used for those conditions.
The deciding factor: Pain medication commonly causes side-effects such as colonic dysmobility and constipation, which can precipitate diverticulosis in a patient with a history of gastrointestinal issues.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic gastrointestinal disability, colonic diverticulosis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 21, 2009
- Citation
- 0927236
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 0927236.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent initial disability rating for chronic sinusitis and denied service connection for several other conditions, including right knee strain, obesity, degenerative arthritis, and others. Some claims were remanded for further consideration.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibroid uterus, cholelithiasis, hepatomegaly and hepatic steatosis (also claimed as additional stable findings), colonic diverticulosis, and umbilical hernia are remanded due to the need for medical examinations and a comprehensive review of potential toxic exposures during her service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for gout due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The remaining issues of service connection for chronic gastrointestinal disability, erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded for further development.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, including as secondary to PTSD. The claims for an ulcer condition and colonic diverticulosis are denied.
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