The Board denied service connection for gastrointestinal disabilities, including ulcerative colitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diverticulitis, due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune during military service.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA did not adequately address the Veteran's theory that his gastrointestinal disabilities were caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- ulcerative colitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20074010
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and a right hip disability, and granted a 30 percent rating for ureterolithiasis. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, while other claims were remanded.
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