Chronic fatigue syndrome decisions — 2011

The Board has denied service connection for Raynaud's disease and remanded the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD and his claim of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome should be remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for headaches, gastroesophageal reflux disease, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome were denied as these conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from performing the duties of gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for cervical strain was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to Board decision.,The claim of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and dyspnea or shortness of breath has been reopened, but further development is needed due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including restless leg syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, sleep disturbances, headaches, hyperlipidemia/hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, and Epstein-Barr virus are denied as the evidence does not support a finding of a current disability due to service.

The Veteran's schizophrenia is rated at 30 percent, but the Board found no evidence of more than occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. The claims for PTSD, IBS, migraines, joint pain, and chronic fatigue syndrome with insomnia were not addressed as they are being remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus have been withdrawn. The remaining claims of service connection for disorders of the lumbar spine, knees, feet (claimed as joint pain), and chronic fatigue syndrome are dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Veteran's dry eye syndrome is found to be causally related to his PRK surgery during active service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Headaches as a manifestation of an undiagnosed illness, and Chronic Fibromyalgia have been granted. The effective dates are based on the date of receipt of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pancreatitis and an increased rating for chronic fatigue syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records, Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records, and private healthcare records. A VA examination is also needed to determine the nature and etiology of his currently-diagnosed pancreatitis and the current severity of his service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, headaches, sleeplessness, and chronic fatigue have been granted. The appeals are based on direct evidence of a current disability that is related to active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue and memory loss, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or related to undiagnosed illness. The claim for sleep apnea was also denied as not being due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board is remanding the case for additional examinations and to obtain updated VA medical records. The Veteran's claims include service connection for various joint disorders, Crohn's disease, and increased evaluations for his head injury with headaches.

The Veteran's claims for CFS, penile numbness and erectile dysfunction, and gastrointestinal disorder are denied as there is no evidence of a direct connection to the March 2004 VA surgery.,There is insufficient medical evidence linking any current conditions to the March 2004 VA procedure.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow any substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for weight gain and fatigue were denied as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service, including the Gulf War. The claim for fatigue was initially granted but later reopened on new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic sleep disorders with fatigue, claimed as the result of an undiagnosed illness. The decision was based on the fact that evidence pertinent to the Veteran's claim had not been considered at the time of the decision.