The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for irritable bowel syndrome with gastroesophageal reflux disease, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are best described by Diagnostic Code 7319 and do not warrant a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, bloating, nausea, pyrosis, and reflux were found to be consistent with a rating under Diagnostic Code 7319 for irritable colon syndrome, which is the highest schedular rating available.
- Claimed conditions
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- October 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20067214
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 service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's GERD, finding that his condition is productive of daily medications to control dysphagia and is otherwise asymptomatic.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and increased evaluations for GERD, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and TBI.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, except for a granted 30 percent rating for headache disability.
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