Chronic fatigue syndrome decisions — 2006

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA treatment records and unclear notification of evidence needed for all claims.

The Board has restored the veteran's 100 percent rating for chronic fatigue syndrome, effective February 1, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right ankle condition, bilateral hearing loss, and emphysema and pneumonia as a result of exposure to asbestos. The Board found no current diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has reviewed the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions and finds that there is no competent or probative evidence linking any of these conditions to his military service, including alleged receipt of an anthrax vaccine. As such, the veteran's claims are denied.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of perforation of the left tympanic membrane are granted. The claim for a higher rating for his left shoulder disability is denied, as there is no evidence of malunion or other impairment warranting a higher rating. Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, pitting edema, chest pain, and cyanotic feet secondary to Trazodone HCL is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection due to lack of evidence supporting his claims, particularly regarding chronic fatigue syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and sinusitis.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been granted. Service connection was established for post-traumatic pain in the right knee, with a 10% evaluation effective June 2, 1992. Increased evaluations were granted for degenerative joint disease of the right knee (post-traumatic pain) and status post surgery, right shoulder (residual painful range of motion).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, finding no current disability or evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and granted a 10 percent initial rating for sarcoidosis as of November 28, 2000. The veteran's sarcoidosis results in FEV-1 values between 71 and 80 percent predicted or FEV-1/FVC values between 71 and 80 percent during service and since his separation from service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as her conditions are not attributable to active military service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board found that the veteran did not satisfy the definition of a 'radiation-exposed veteran' and thus could not establish service connection for residuals of exposure to ionizing radiation. The conditions were not present in service, nor are they presumed to be related to service or radiation exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for a disability manifested by stiffness in the joints and for a disability manifested by chronic fatigue, both of which are associated with the veteran's service in the Persian Gulf.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a disability manifested by blood in semen or an abnormally low white blood count, and the veteran's bilateral pes planus was not shown to be incurred during active duty. Service connection for hemorrhoids and chronic fatigue syndrome could not be established as they are not considered undiagnosed illnesses.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic fatigue disorder is service-connected, as it manifested during his active duty in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations and is not attributable to any known clinical diagnosis or willful misconduct.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome. However, the veteran does not have chronic fatigue syndrome.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were granted, with the hypertension claim being established and the arthritis claim receiving a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, finding that he does not have this condition and that any related symptoms are attributable to insomnia. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for migraine headaches is pending.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, and otitis externa. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and the veteran's claims for increased ratings have been addressed in a separate decision. The issues of entitlement to service connection for stomach problems, including hiatal hernia, loss of feeling in the left side, night sweats, chronic fatigue, and a swollen right arm and hand, genitourinary disorder and a psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for an appropriate examination and opinions regarding the etiology of any chronic disability identified as or associated with Persian Gulf War syndrome, arthritis or arthritis-like symptoms, chronic fatigue, and/or pain to bilateral side of the body.