The Board has determined that the Veteran's anal sphincter incontinence associated with rectal fistula, which was previously surgically corrected, is attributable to service and grants service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that if the Veteran was assaulted as claimed during service, it could cause damage leading to a chronic anal fissure, resulting in the current diagnosed anal sphincter incontinence associated with rectal fistula with previous surgical correction.
- Claimed conditions
- anal sphincter incontinence, rectal fistula
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 11, 2011
- Citation
- 1125929
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1125929.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's rectal fistula was granted a 10 percent rating from March 30, 2014, and a 30 percent rating from May 10, 2018. The Board denied entitlement to a higher rating for the condition as of September 23, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected rectal fistula has worsened, requiring him to wear two pairs of underwear and a pad for drainage. The Board finds the March 2020 VA examination inadequate as it did not discuss the Veteran’s flare-ups, and the case is remanded for another examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and failure of the Veteran to provide necessary private medical records. The claim will be returned for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation was remanded due to the lack of loss of use in either lower extremity. The effective date for increased rating Crohn's disease remains January 15, 2008.
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