The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, tension headaches, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been granted. The effective dates are not specified in this decision.,Entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to January 17, 2018 for the grant of service connection for fibromyalgia is denied.
The deciding factor: The new and material evidence submitted since the October 2014 rating decision suggests a causal linkage between the Veteran’s tension headaches and his service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The medical evidence also supports this connection.,There is no indication that the Veteran filed an informal claim or had any communication prior to January 17, 2018, asserting entitlement to service connection for IBS.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, tension headaches, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20043934
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 20043934.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims on appeal, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's representative also requested reevaluation of his service-connected disabilities.
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