The Veteran is seeking an effective date of September 2, 2015 for the award of a 20% disability evaluation for his status-post appendectomy residual painful scars. The Board finds that the most appropriate effective date is September 20, 2018, the date of an examination indicating that the Veteran's scars were both painful and unstable.,The Veteran also seeks service connection for IBS, which was remanded as there are insufficient opinions regarding whether his service-connected condition causes or aggravates his IBS.
The deciding factor: For the status-post appendectomy residual painful scars, the effective date is determined based on when the examination indicating that the Veteran's scars were both painful and unstable occurred (September 20, 2018).,Regarding service connection for IBS, there are insufficient opinions to determine whether the Veteran's service-connected condition causes or aggravates his IBS.
- Claimed conditions
- Status-post appendectomy residual painful scars, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 9, 2026
- Citation
- A26033252
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 A26033252.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's IBS with GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and development.
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