The Veteran's IBS with GERD and hiatal hernia was granted a disability rating of 60 percent as of March 9, 2012. The effective date for this grant is set at September 21, 2015. The claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU remains denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms warranted a higher disability rating due to the severity and frequency of his gastrointestinal issues, including dysphagia, reflux, regurgitation, substernal pain, sleep disturbance, nausea, vomiting, and heartburn. The March 9, 2012 examination report provided evidence that supported this increased rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Hiatal Hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- October 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20067861
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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