The Veteran's IBS, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and unspecified depressive disorder are granted service connection. The Veteran's sinusitis is also granted service connection on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act. An increased evaluation of 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder is granted.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted based on the presumption provided by the PACT Act, which allows for service connection for undiagnosed illnesses and medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses that manifest during or after active duty in the Persian Gulf War. The Veteran's current diagnoses are consistent with these criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Cervical spine disability, Right shoulder disability, Sinusitis, Unspecified depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 31, 2024
- Citation
- A24086912
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 A24086912.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- 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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