The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for gallstones or inflammation of the gallbladder, as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's gallbladder removal was determined to be due to known clinical diagnosis (gallstones), and not related to her service-connected IBS.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's gallbladder condition was less likely than not caused by or aggravated by service, including her time in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War. The medical expert opinion supported this conclusion, noting no evidence of an increased risk of gallbladder disease among Gulf War veterans.
- Claimed conditions
- gallstones, inflammation of the gallbladder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2017
- Citation
- 1706904
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 1706904.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for residuals of gallbladder removal and gallstones, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence after a prior denial. The Board finds that VA examinations and medical opinions are necessary to properly determine entitlement to service connection.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of restless leg syndrome, migraines, erectile dysfunction, gallstones, and allergic rhinitis as secondary to service-connected PTSD due to concurrent elections.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent and a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's PTSD is remanded for further development to determine if it warrants an increased rating.
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