The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 40 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability is granted, effective October 1, 2025. The claim for a higher rating than 40 percent and service connection for IBS secondary to the lumbar spine disability are also granted.
The deciding factor: The evidence demonstrated actual improvement in the Veteran's lumbar spine disability under the ordinary conditions of life and work, warranting restoration of the 40 percent rating. The claim for service connection for IBS was granted as it is related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the spine (lumbar spine disability), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- February 19, 2026
- Citation
- 26002282
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 26002282.
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 Board denied service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), finding that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a separate grant of service connection for GERD, as a residual of her cholecystectomy, is granted effective May 19, 2024. The claims for increased ratings for cholecystectomy residuals and esophageal spasms are remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's GERD with IBS is rated at 30 percent effective April 21, 2020. The Board found the symptoms of severe diarrhea and more or less constant abdominal distress meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for GERD, IBS, and TBI due to a duty to assist error in failing to schedule VA examinations and obtain medical opinions.
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