The Board has granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) on a presumptive basis due to the appellant's active duty in Kuwait. The issue of service connection for TBI remains pending and requires further examination.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not diagnose IBS during the initial examination, but subsequent records confirm the diagnosis. Given the appellant's history of gastrointestinal symptoms in service and ongoing treatment, the Board finds it plausible that he has a current diagnosis of IBS which is presumed to have been incurred in service due to his active duty in Kuwait.
- Claimed conditions
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23020244
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 23020244.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining records from the Lancaster Vet Center and private mental health professionals.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right knee meniscal tear, and IBS, have rendered him unable to secure or follow any substantially gainful employment from May 1, 2020 to May 1, 2021. The Board finds that the evidence is in balance, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his IBS, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for a moderate or severe condition as defined by VA regulations.
- Granted
The Board has granted an initial 20 percent rating for service-connected vitamin D deficiency, finding that the Veteran's recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea most closely approximates the criteria for a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 6313. The claim for service connection for IBS was not addressed in this decision.
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