BVA decisions by condition
Diverticulitis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a diverticulitis issue in 1,027 decisions. It granted the diverticulitis issue in 11.9% of them, below the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 29.0%, and remanded it in 58.1%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 29.0% were granted.
Decisions
1,027
2018–2026
Granted
11.9%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
29.0%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
58.1%
Denied: 29.0%
Diverticulitis outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 114 | 6.1% | 37.7% | 56.1% |
| 2019 | 118 | 11.0% | 35.6% | 50.8% |
| 2020 | 127 | 8.7% | 34.6% | 55.9% |
| 2021 | 109 | 9.2% | 26.6% | 62.4% |
| 2022 | 114 | 13.2% | 23.7% | 62.3% |
| 2023 | 111 | 14.4% | 18.9% | 65.8% |
| 2024 | 139 | 14.4% | 23.7% | 60.4% |
| 2025 | 141 | 12.1% | 31.2% | 56.7% |
| 2026 | 54 | 24.1% | 27.8% | 48.1% |
Evidence in granted and denied diverticulitis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the diverticulitis 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 | 183 | 56.1% | 20.8% | +35.3 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 41 | 54.2% | 27.5% | +26.6 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 253 | 45.4% | 23.4% | +22.0 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 313 | 40.6% | 21.9% | +18.7 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 146 | 42.3% | 26.0% | +16.3 pts |
| Combat service | 47 | 34.6% | 28.7% | +5.9 pts |
| Lay statement | 815 | 28.7% | 31.0% | −2.3 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 67.2% of the decisions that granted diverticulitis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 34.4% of grants and 11.1% 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 diverticulitis 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 | 767 | 28.5% | 31.3% | −2.7 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 605 | 27.2% | 32.8% | −5.6 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied diverticulitis
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established21
- Caused by the service-connected disability8
- Service connection established6
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability3
- Criteria for secondary service connection met2
- Continuity of symptoms from service to present2
- Post-service diagnosis of diverticulitis2
- Evidence evenly balanced2
Most common reasons in denials
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis48
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service45
- Service records negative or silent37
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim35
- No current diagnosis20
- Current diagnosis established15
- Criteria for service connection not met4
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability4
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 diverticulitis decisions
Granted
Conceded exposure to mustard gas at Edgewood Arsenal.; VA examiner concluded diverticular disease was due to mustard gas exposure.; Service connection granted as criteria are met.
Secondary to panic disorder; Proximately caused by medication; Obesity as intermediate step; Benefit of doubt applied
Treating physician opinion found diverticulitis at least as likely as not caused by IBS; VA examiner opinion was unclear and contradicted by treating physician; Evidence found in equipoise, applying benefit of doubt
Denied
Diagnosis occurred over 30 years post-service.; No in-service complaints or evidence of diverticular disease.; VA opinions found less likely than not related to service/exposure.; Evidence persuasively weighs against the claim.
No in-service complaints, symptoms, evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment for diverticulitis.; Diagnosis occurred many years after service discharge.; VA medical opinions found no nexus to service-connected irritable bowel syndrome.
No in-service onset or continuity of symptoms.; No nexus opinion linking diverticulitis to service.; Condition diagnosed post-service.
Rules that apply to diverticulitis 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 diverticulitis case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a diverticulitis 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 (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.