Guide series
GERD, IBS, Diabetes, and Thyroid VA Claims: Complete Guide Series
Plain-English guides to digestive and internal medicine VA disability claims: GERD under Diagnostic Code 7206, IBS under 7319, diabetes under 7913, thyroid conditions, and secondary claims.
Overview
Start here: digestive & internal medicine basics.
Digestive and endocrine conditions are among the most commonly diagnosed disabilities in the veteran population, and they raise several separate questions: whether a condition can be connected to service years later, how the VA measures severity under criteria that changed in 2024, and when reflux, bowel disease, or metabolic conditions can be connected secondary to an already service-connected disability.
The guides below work through each question using the VA's own regulations. Start with the overview, then read the guide that matches your situation.
GERD, IBS, Diabetes, and Thyroid VA Disability: How Service Connection Works
How VA service connection works for digestive and internal medicine conditions: GERD, IBS, diabetes, and thyroid disease - the three elements, secondary theories, medication side effects, and how each is rated.
Read the main guideIn this series
Go deeper on your situation.
10 min readGERD VA Ratings Explained (Diagnostic Code 7206)
How the VA rates gastroesophageal reflux disease under 38 CFR 4.114: the Diagnostic Code 7206 criteria, the May 2024 rating schedule revision, protected evaluations, and what the record must document.
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10 min readIBS VA Ratings Explained (Diagnostic Code 7319)
How the VA rates irritable bowel syndrome under Diagnostic Code 7319 in 38 CFR 4.114: the frequency-based criteria, the 30 percent maximum, Gulf War presumptions, and how to document episodes.
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9 min readGERD Secondary to PTSD: How the VA Evaluates the Claim
How the VA evaluates gastroesophageal reflux claimed secondary to PTSD or another service-connected mental health condition under 38 CFR 3.310, including medication-based theories and aggravation.
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9 min readIBS Secondary to PTSD and Mental Health Conditions
How the VA evaluates irritable bowel syndrome claimed secondary to PTSD, anxiety, or depression under 38 CFR 3.310 - the gut-brain mechanism, medication effects, aggravation, and the evidence that works.
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11 min readDiabetes VA Ratings and Diabetic Complications (Diagnostic Code 7913)
How the VA rates diabetes mellitus under Diagnostic Code 7913: the restricted diet, insulin, and regulation of activities criteria, Agent Orange presumption, and separately rated complications.
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9 min readHypothyroidism and Thyroid Condition VA Ratings (Diagnostic Code 7903)
How the VA rates hypothyroidism and thyroid conditions under 38 CFR 4.119: the Diagnostic Code 7903 criteria, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, separately rated symptoms, and what the record must document.
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10 min readMedical Evidence for Digestive and Internal Medicine VA Claims
What the VA needs to see in a digestive or internal medicine claim: diagnosis, in-service evidence, nexus, symptom documentation, and how a medical records review identifies what a file supports.
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