The Board denied the Veteran's claims for separate service connection for abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, including an irritable bowel syndrome, and for service connection for a cognitive disorder, to include dementia. The Board found that there was no evidence of an irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive disorder during service or within one year after service, and that the Veteran's dementia is not related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran did not have an irritable bowel syndrome or any other digestive disorder during service. The post-service medical records showed a diagnosis of dementia but no evidence of memory loss or cognitive impairment until many years after service, and there was no causal connection established between the Veteran's dementia and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Abdominal pain, Nausea, Diarrhea, Vomiting
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19182440
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) for claims related to an increased rating and service connection, as well as lack of jurisdiction over a previously granted claim for sinusitis.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, denied an initial compensable rating for service-connected erectile dysfunction, and readjudicated the claims of entitlement to service connection for left and right hand numbness based on new evidence. The remaining claims were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent for nausea as secondary to service-connected chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but remanded the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and GERD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to provide the Veteran with notice concerning his right to a hearing on his supplemental claim.
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