The appeal is dismissed as moot because the Veteran's valid October 2019 opt-in into the AMA for the issue of entitlement to an increased evaluation for service-connected irritable bowel syndrome renders the current appeal moot.
The deciding factor: An allowance in the current appeal would result in concurrent AMA elections, which are prohibited under the governing regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- irritable bowel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- A20016017
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a head injury, headache disorder, erectile dysfunction, left earache disorder, chronic fatigue, right shoulder disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, right foot disorder, GERD, and left shoulder disorder, as the evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 13, 2024 for a 30 percent rating for irritable bowel syndrome.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome. The Board also denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a deviated septum and chronic sore throat, dismissed the issue of a sinus condition, and remanded claims for asthma, hypertension, and irritable bowel syndrome.
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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.