The Board has granted an initial 20 percent rating for costochondritis of the left and right sides. The case is remanded to determine service connection for IBS, including as related to exposure to burn pits during military service.
The deciding factor: The claimant's lay statements regarding in-service and post-service symptomatology are considered along with medical evidence to determine if there is a link between current gastrointestinal disorders and military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Costochondritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19106998
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of September 2, 2020, for the grant of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but denied a higher initial rating and TDIU.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as there was no competent or credible evidence of a current diagnosis during the appellate period.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, except for a granted 30 percent rating for headache disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and earlier effective dates.
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