BVA decisions by condition
Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis): BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) issue in 6,751 decisions. It granted the irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) issue in 25.2% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 26.9%, and remanded it in 45.5%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 48.4% were granted.
Decisions
6,751
2017–2026
Granted
25.2%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
48.4%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
45.5%
Denied: 26.9%
Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 287 | 14.3% | 34.1% | 38.7% |
| 2018 | 564 | 20.6% | 32.4% | 41.7% |
| 2019 | 663 | 18.7% | 27.9% | 51.4% |
| 2020 | 635 | 19.5% | 27.2% | 50.7% |
| 2021 | 568 | 21.5% | 24.1% | 52.8% |
| 2022 | 588 | 23.1% | 20.7% | 54.4% |
| 2023 | 719 | 25.0% | 21.0% | 52.2% |
| 2024 | 922 | 29.1% | 23.9% | 45.6% |
| 2025 | 1,297 | 32.9% | 30.5% | 35.5% |
| 2026 | 508 | 32.1% | 29.3% | 36.2% |
Evidence in granted and denied irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) 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 | 1,151 | 74.0% | 40.2% | +33.8 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 908 | 70.0% | 43.1% | +26.9 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 328 | 70.1% | 47.0% | +23.1 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 2,102 | 57.9% | 42.8% | +15.1 pts |
| Buddy statement | 201 | 62.4% | 48.0% | +14.4 pts |
| Combat service | 476 | 57.7% | 47.6% | +10.1 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 1,440 | 54.2% | 47.3% | +6.9 pts |
| Lay statement | 5,377 | 48.1% | 50.3% | −2.2 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 67.6% of the decisions that granted irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis).
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 37.2% of grants and 13.2% 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 irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) 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 | 5,030 | 48.0% | 49.9% | −1.9 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 3,419 | 47.0% | 50.1% | −3.1 pts |
Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis)
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established190
- Ibs is a qualifying chronic disability under 38 c.f.r. § 3.31738
- Already at the maximum schedular rating33
- Presumptive service connection under 38 c.f.r. § 3.31733
- Veteran is a persian gulf veteran31
- Veteran served in southwest asia during persian gulf war29
- Persian gulf veteran status27
- Caused by the service-connected disability26
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis354
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim175
- Already at the maximum schedular rating139
- Service records negative or silent133
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service116
- Current diagnosis established95
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis86
- Criteria for service connection not met42
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 irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) decisions
Granted
Prior rating criteria more favorable; Symptoms met criteria for severe IBS; Daily diarrhea with constant abdominal distress and weight loss
Private opinion linked IBS to mental health and pain; Service-connected disabilities contributed to obesity; Obesity caused IBS; Relative equipoise resolved in veteran's favor
Symptoms met criteria for severe IBS.; Constant abdominal distress noted.; 30 percent rating warranted for the period on appeal.
Denied
No established diagnosis of IBS or functional gastrointestinal disorder.; Veteran lacks expertise to diagnose IBS.; Service treatment records silent for IBS complaints/diagnosis.; Evidence weighs against current diagnosis or link to service/TERA.
Veteran's testimony regarding symptom severity found not credible; Medical records and VA exam did not show severe IBS symptoms; IBS did not impact ability to work per VA examiner
No current diagnosis of IBS found in the record.; No evidence of IBS symptoms during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.; Service treatment records are silent for IBS complaints, treatment, or diagnosis.
Rules that apply to irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) 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 irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis) 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.