The Veteran's service-connected irritable bowel syndrome is rated at 10 percent prior to August 26, 2008 and at 30 percent from that date. The lumbar spine degenerative joint disease is rated at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows IBS manifested with more or less constant abdominal distress in the form of alternating diarrhea and constipation, cramps, gas, occasional incontinence, and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease from August 26, 2008. Prior to that date, there was no indication of severe IBS.
- Claimed conditions
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lumbar Spine Degenerative Joint Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 31, 2013
- Citation
- 1317836
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 1317836.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of May 19, 2024, for a separate 10 percent rating for GERD. The decision states that prior to this date, ratings for GERD and Irritable Bowel Syndrome could not be combined due to VA regulations at the time.
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