Chronic fatigue syndrome decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for sleeplessness is reopened and granted. Service connection for sleep apnea with insomnia, secondary to PTSD, is also granted. The claim for chronic fatigue syndrome is denied.

The Board has remanded multiple claims for further development due to the Veteran not being properly notified of VA examinations related to his service connection and increased disability rating claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including joint condition, left leg condition, right leg condition, muscle condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, gastrointestinal condition (GERD), and migraine headaches are remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The examiner is asked to determine if these conditions are related to active military duty or in-service environmental hazards from his Persian Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for premature menopause, chronic fatigue, insomnia, an ovarian cyst, and miscarriages due to her Gulf War exposure. The case is sent back for a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to her military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as well as appeals for higher ratings for his right knee and chronic fatigue syndrome, were dismissed. The Veteran was granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis but denied any increase in the rating for sinusitis with headaches.

The Veteran's cause of death was not due to a service-connected disability, and his service-connected conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to cause death. The appeal for higher rate of payment of NSC death pension benefits is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of right knee instability and service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, and that there was no diagnosed illness of chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, sinusitis, sleep apnea, hypertension, chest pain, a dental disorder for treatment purposes, and ear disability. The issues are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions and need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as service connection for a low back disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional information and examination.

The Veteran's left foot hallux valgus and foot strain are of service origin, while sleep apnea is not. The Board denied the remaining claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding sleep apnea, as there is evidence of current disability along with the Veteran's lay statements. The other service connection claims remain denied.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, CFS, and COPD. It granted an initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD from June 30, 2015, but denied a higher initial rating or TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or chronic fatigue syndrome, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.,For the joint condition (claimed as Gulf War Illness) and muscle condition (claimed as due to Gulf War Illness), an addendum opinion is needed regarding whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board found no evidence of nearly constant or nearly incapacitating symptoms.,The Veteran's arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease was previously rated as 60 percent disabling prior to September 25, 2011. Since then, it has been rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination and the need for further clarification on whether the Veteran's fatigue is a separate disability from his other illnesses, including PTSD.

The Veteran's original claim did not mention PTSD, but he indicated stress related to Gulf War service. The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is set at December 11, 2013.

The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between any current disability and military service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome due to lack of a diagnosis, and remanded the cases for further examination and rating considerations.

The Veteran's GERD, including vomiting, was granted service connection and assigned a 30 percent initial rating from February 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012. After that period, the Veteran received a 10 percent initial rating for GERD.,Service connection was also granted for peripheral vascular disease of the right lower extremity and allergic rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for body aches and chronic fatigue syndrome due to insufficient evidence in the record. The AOJ is instructed to obtain medical records, conduct examinations, and review the claims based on additional evidence.