The Veteran's gastrointestinal disabilities, including gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and hiatal hernia, are currently rated at a 40 percent disability rating under the criteria for duodenal ulcers. The Board denied entitlement to separate ratings in excess of 40 percent.
The deciding factor: The predominant disability picture is that of gastric ulcers (diagnosed as duodenal ulcers), which do not warrant separate ratings under other digestive system diagnostic codes due to the fundamental principle of pyramiding.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hiatal Hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 16, 2013
- Citation
- 1316200
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 1316200.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of rationale in the VA examiner's opinion and an inconsistency between the examination report and nexus opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is granted a rating of 30 percent, the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 7319. Service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to service connected tinnitus and PTSD is also granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA needs to obtain examination reports and determine if the service-connected conditions meet the criteria for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant.
- Granted
An effective date of September 7, 2018 is granted for service connection of PTSD.,A higher initial rating for hiatal hernia prior to May 2, 2017 is denied.,TDIU from September 7, 2018 is granted.
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