The Veteran's service connection claims for muscle and joint pain, sleep disturbance, and IBS have been granted. The claim for muscle and joint pain was denied due to lack of objective indications of a chronic disability. The claim for sleep disturbance was denied as the symptoms did not manifest during active service or to a degree of 10 percent or more. The claim for IBS was granted based on it qualifying as a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's IBS diagnosis first manifested after his service in Southwest Asia theater, and the symptoms qualify under the criteria for a functional gastrointestinal disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- muscle and joint pain, sleep disturbance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19128782
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,017 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19128782.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as the evidence did not establish that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for liver cancer and an increased rating for irritable bowel syndrome has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
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