Chronic fatigue syndrome decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that further development is needed to ensure all relevant evidence is considered in the claims for service connection and increased rating.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and a low back disorder, finding no evidence of these conditions in service or related to service. Service connection was also denied for diabetes mellitus secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and notification, including providing corrective notice regarding increased ratings for PTSD and left knee disability as well as reopening a claim of service connection for chronic fatigue.

For the period prior to February 20, 2008, the veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with complaints of depression and chronic fatigue syndrome results in chronic fatigue symptoms that restrict routine daily activities by less than 25 percent.,For the period from February 20, 2008 to the present, the veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with complaints of depression and chronic fatigue syndrome results in chronic fatigue symptoms that restrict routine daily activities to 50 to 75 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, chronic fatigue, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and headaches. The evidence submitted since the July 1991 denial did not provide new or material evidence to reopen the claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for service connection for an enlarged spleen, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic headaches have been denied as there is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including joint aches, muscle aches, chronic fatigue, headaches, and loss of memory and concentration, are being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board found no evidence of a skin disease, muscle weakness, bilateral shoulder disability, or chronic fatigue syndrome that is related to the veteran's service-connected sarcoidosis. Degenerative joint disease of the knees, arms, elbows and spine was also not shown to be caused by or aggravated by his service-connected sarcoidosis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none of them were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, insomnia and irritability, finding that these conditions did not manifest during service or be related to an undiagnosed illness due to his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The veteran's initial rating for chronic fatigue syndrome remains at 40 percent, and his tinnitus is rated at 10 percent. The veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and procedural issues, including a need for an opinion regarding chronic fatigue and PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for a skin rash, chronic fatigue syndrome, and nausea as they were not shown to be related to service or Persian Gulf War service.,There is no evidence of a diagnosed condition for the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, sensitivity to sun and light, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disturbance, impairment of short term memory and concentration, joint pain, and muscle pain are denied as they do not meet the criteria for service connection under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development of evidence, including obtaining recent medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The veteran's chronic recurrent episodes of fatigue are determined to be due to an undiagnosed illness and incurred during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/Epstein Barr virus (EBV) as these conditions are presumed to have been incurred during a period of active duty for training.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to appear for a scheduled video-conference hearing. The issues of increased ratings for specific disabilities are also referred back to the RO.

The Board found that the veteran does not have chronic fatigue syndrome and denied service connection for this condition.