BVA decisions by condition
Rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control issue in 711 decisions. It granted the rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control issue in 32.6% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 30.9%, and remanded it in 35.4%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 51.3% were granted.
Decisions
711
2017–2026
Granted
32.6%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
51.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
35.4%
Denied: 30.9%
Rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 56 | 26.8% | 30.4% | 37.5% | 5.4% |
| 2018 | 75 | 29.3% | 33.3% | 32.0% | 5.3% |
| 2019 | 84 | 29.8% | 23.8% | 44.0% | 2.4% |
| 2020 | 78 | 33.3% | 34.6% | 29.5% | 2.6% |
| 2021 | 82 | 28.0% | 28.0% | 42.7% | 1.2% |
| 2022 | 78 | 34.6% | 33.3% | 29.5% | 2.6% |
| 2023 | 83 | 34.9% | 28.9% | 34.9% | 1.2% |
| 2024 | 76 | 28.9% | 36.8% | 32.9% | 1.3% |
| 2025 | 75 | 40.0% | 32.0% | 28.0% | 0.0% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 101 | 74.4% | 46.2% | +28.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 101 | 70.2% | 47.0% | +23.2 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 61 | 65.1% | 49.9% | +15.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 219 | 60.3% | 46.6% | +13.6 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 138 | 54.5% | 50.8% | +3.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 556 | 49.6% | 60.6% | −11.0 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 63.8% of the decisions that granted rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 35.3% of grants and 11.4% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 453 | 47.4% | 62.2% | −14.7 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 265 | 39.7% | 60.1% | −20.4 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established9
- Caused by the service-connected disability5
- Already at the maximum schedular rating4
- Service connection established3
- Frequent involuntary bowel movements3
- Criteria for 60 percent rating met3
- Symptoms approximated criteria for 10 percent rating2
- Occasional involuntary bowel movements2
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim18
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service16
- No current diagnosis16
- Service records negative or silent14
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis12
- Current diagnosis established8
- Criteria for higher rating not met4
- Criteria for service connection not met3
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control decisions
Granted
Favorable findings of in-service event and positive nexus opinion; Evidence of current diagnosis and in-service rectal pain; Relative equipoise on nexus, resolved in Veteran's favor
Resolving doubt in Veteran's favor; Symptoms fit criteria for 60% rating under revised DC 7332; Incontinence two or more times per week requiring pad use
Symptoms more closely approximate criteria for 60% rating under DC 7332.; Resolving reasonable doubt in veteran's favor.; Lay statements and private medical opinion support extensive leakage and frequent involuntary bowel movements.
Denied
No current diagnosis of rectal disability.; Veteran declined examination of the rectal area.; No objective evidence found for diagnosis.
Incontinence two or more times per day; Requires pad changes two or more times per day; Amended criteria applied favorably
Service treatment records negative for bowel incontinence; No etiological connection to service; Secondary claim to TBI failed as TBI not service-connected
Rules that apply to rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a rectum and anus impairment of sphincter control issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.