The Veteran's appeal is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a separate disability rating for impairment of sphincter control, and his current 30 percent rating adequately compensates for his IBS with GERD.,The Veteran's 30 percent rating for IBS with GERD from April 3, 2014 is adequate as it considers the predominant disability picture. The Board acknowledges that his GERD symptoms are not contemplated by DC 7319.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show a complete loss of sphincter control or frequent involuntary bowel movements necessitating wearing of pad, which would warrant a separate rating under DC 7332. The Veteran's predominant disability is IBS with GERD, and the current 30 percent rating adequately compensates for his symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Impairment of sphincter control, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20001568
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,035 · Granted: 30% (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 20001568.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted an effective date of March 1, 2022 for the award of service connection for impairment of sphincter control as secondary to service-connected internal and external hemorrhoids with pruritus ani. The Veteran is also awarded a rating of 60 percent for this condition since March 1, 2022.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for service connection of depressive disorder, LLE weakness, and impairment of sphincter control is granted.,An initial rating in excess of 30 percent for MS is denied.,A 10 percent rating for CFS is granted.,A 50 percent rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.,A 10 percent rating for migraines with visual disturbances is granted.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for LUE weakness is denied.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for RLE weakness is denied.,A 10 percent rating for LLE weakness is granted.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent prior to May 19, 2024, for IBS with GERD as the Veteran's symptoms did not meet or more nearly approximate the criteria required for a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for IBS with GERD, headaches, and allergic rhinitis as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
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