Chronic fatigue syndrome decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, including as due to an undiagnosed illness or service-connected disabilities, has been remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The issues of service connection for chronic fatigue, bad eye sight, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, thyroid cancer, necrotizing pancreatitis disability, and TDIU are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's MS is rated at 40 percent, effective October 20, 2008. She also has a separate rating for chronic fatigue syndrome and mild incomplete paralysis of the left lower radicular group.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, impingement of a nerve (claimed as thoracic outlet syndrome and bone abnormality of the shoulder blade), dislocation of the right elbow, chronic fatigue syndrome, cervical spine disorder, and costochondritis. The decision is based on direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including memory loss, gastrointestinal complaints, headaches, skin disability, chronic fatigue, involuntary movements of the hands and feet, and urinary tract infections, all characterized as undiagnosed illnesses or other medically unexplained chronic multi symptom illnesses.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and clarification of medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for shortness of breath, skin disorder, vertigo, digestive disorder, chronic fatigue and memory problems are all dismissed as there is no evidence of a service connection basis.,Service connection was granted for the residuals of a hysterectomy but with an unspecified rating.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and joint pain. Sinusitis is found to be related to service. Chronic fatigue syndrome and joint pain are not found to be related to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder. The Veteran's current low back disability is found to be related to his active military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for headaches, bleeding gums, chest pain, generalized joint pain with muscle aches and numbness, and chronic fatigue as secondary to an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran's service in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War is recognized.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral small vessel vasculitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and irritable bowel syndrome were denied. The claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was not established.

The Veteran's service-connected irritable bowel syndrome is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective November 14, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome or a chronic undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's claimed joint disability and skin disorder are not service-connected due to lack of objective indications of a chronic disability.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including headaches and hypertension, all claimed as secondary to in-service exposure to toxic chemicals. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was unemployable due to his service-connected anxiety disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome as of March 8, 2007. The effective date for the award of a TDIU is set at January 22, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and gastrointestinal disability (irritable bowel syndrome) were denied. The appeal is not about service connection at all, as the issues are related to other disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, low back disability, chronic headache disability, respiratory symptoms, and chronic fatigue, all of which were deemed to be related to undiagnosed illnesses. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Veteran's fatigue and CFS were not found to be related to service or an undiagnosed illness, and the claims for these conditions are denied.