The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is granted service connection and a 20 percent disability rating. Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis is denied, as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. Ratings for left hand carpal tunnel syndrome (status post-surgery) are increased to 30 percent effective October 7, 2019, and for right hand carpal tunnel syndrome (status post-surgery) are increased to 40 percent effective October 7, 2019.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is presumed service-connected due to his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. Ratings for left and right hand carpal tunnel syndromes were increased based on their severity.
- Claimed conditions
- irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20058620
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 20058620.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to significant weight loss and anemia.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for adhesions as secondary to irritable bowel syndrome, finding that there was no nexus between the claimed condition and service or a service-connected disability.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for effective dates earlier than July 18, 2024, for the awards of service connection for tinnitus, tension headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome have been dismissed.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for depression, Gram Positive Cocci Condition, chronic bronchitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and diseases of Keratinization due to untimely filing of the Decision Review Request.
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