Chronic fatigue syndrome decisions — 2012

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, a respiratory disorder, muscle and joint pain with tremors and swelling, headaches, skin rash, stomach disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and dysthymic disorder. The appeal was dismissed for three issues, but the remaining claims were remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue and memory loss due to undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability, as well as his claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension, were denied. The evidence did not establish a medical relationship between the claimed conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, a respiratory disability (claimed as asthma), residuals of a head injury, vertigo, chronic fatigue syndrome, recurrent dermatitis, and hysterectomy residuals. The reasons provided include lack of evidence supporting these conditions during or after service.

The Veteran's joint pain, chronic fatigue, and headaches are found to be related to his service-connected PTSD with depressive disorder and psychotic features.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to adjudication of the claims. The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, left shoulder disorder, IBS, chronic headaches, depression, bilateral knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and chronic fatigue syndrome are REMANDED.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his military service. The appeal is now resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, sleep disorder, mood swings, and memory loss, were denied as they are not shown to be due to undiagnosed illness or any other known clinical diagnosis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to determine if he had any periods of Federalized National Guard service and to obtain updated medical records. His claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, psychiatric disability (including PTSD), and chronic fatigue are currently under review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was granted with an effective date of October 20, 2003. However, the March 2004 rating decision denying this claim is considered clearly and unmistakably erroneous due to a lack of consideration of the February 2003 Gulf War Protocol examination report.

The Veteran's appeal is currently in remand status due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection and rating for various conditions are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue, skin rashes, gastrointestinal disability, and sleep apnea as due to an undiagnosed illness. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various symptoms, including sleep apnea, rashes, neurological symptoms with muscle pain, hair loss, gastroesophageal reflux, headaches, respiratory disorder, and chronic fatigue. The appeal is remanded due to inadequate examination evidence.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as there is no jurisdiction to review the denial of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding service treatment and personnel records, as well as new VA examinations for the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and finds that it had its onset in active service. The Veteran is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder, mycoplasma fermentans disability, or chronic fatigue syndrome due to service. The evidence is against a finding of any such disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for chronic fatigue syndrome prior to November 29, 1994.

The Veteran's claim seeking an increased rating for residuals of a head injury was denied because he repeatedly failed to report for VA examinations scheduled in connection with his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, bilateral knee disability, hypertension, chronic sinusitis, and degenerative joint disease/degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are all denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, also claimed as Epstein-Barre syndrome. The evidence now shows that she had symptoms of chronic fatigue during her active duty in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating her claim.