The Veteran's IBS is currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum under the applicable rating criteria. Therefore, an increased rating in excess of 30 percent cannot be granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's IBS is rated as severe with diarrhea or diarrhea and constipation, but no higher ratings are available under the current diagnostic code for IBS.
- Claimed conditions
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20006586
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.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder and cervical pain but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Board also granted ratings of 10 percent or 20 percent for several conditions from specific dates.
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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.