The Veteran's chronic lower gastrointestinal disorder, including hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, impaired sphincter control, and intestinal fistula with fecal discharge, is considered to be related to his service. The Board finds that the current conditions are attributable to in-service hemorrhoids or post-surgical residuals of multiple hemorrhoidectomies.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current gastrointestinal symptoms are linked to his documented history of hemorrhoids and surgical interventions during active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lower gastrointestinal disorder, rectum and anus (claimed as gastrointestinal bowel syndrome with diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, impaired sphincter control, and intestinal fistula with fecal discharge)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 5, 2011
- Citation
- 1137423
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 1137423.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic lower gastrointestinal disorder, claimed as IBS and diverticulosis, is related to his military service and grants the claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic lower gastrointestinal disorder, claimed as IBS and diverticulosis, to include as secondary to his service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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