The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for fecal incontinence from May 28, 2013 to June 26, 2018 was denied as the evidence did not show extensive leakage or fairly frequent involuntary bowel movements.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not demonstrate a disability picture that warranted a higher 60 percent rating for fecal incontinence.
- Claimed conditions
- Fecal Incontinence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19184328
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected fecal incontinence is rated at a 30 percent disability rating, effective from the date of this decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for fecal incontinence as secondary to service-connected IBS. The issue of whether the Veteran's IBS warrants a higher than 10 percent rating is remanded.
- Denied
The VA denied the veteran's claim for disability compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to lack of proximate cause and failure to obtain informed consent, as the Board found that the additional disabilities were not caused by VA carelessness or negligence.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.