The Veteran's digestive system disability, including diverticulosis and anal fissures, is not related to military service. The Board finds that the weight of the competent evidence does not attribute the Veteran's digestive system disability to military service despite his contentions to the contrary.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA examiners determined that the etiology of the Veteran's diverticulosis is due to aging and low fiber diet, and less likely than not related to an in-service anal fissure event.
- Claimed conditions
- diverticulosis, anal fissures
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2018
- Citation
- 1804988
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1804988.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, and will need to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diverticulosis and colon tumor.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including adjustment disorder, benign skin lesions, actinic keratosis, poikiloderma, porokeratosis, Parkinson's disease, benign prostatic hypertrophy, hypertension, increased urinary frequency, diverticulosis, duodenal ulcer, and bilateral cataracts are all granted due to exposure to herbicide agents, mustard gas, and ionizing radiation during service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's anal fissures are granted as secondary to his service-connected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The initial rating for IBS is granted at 30 percent. The claim of service connection for hemorrhoids is remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to errors in the initial decision, including inadequate medical opinions and failure to consider all theories of entitlement.
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