Chronic fatigue syndrome decisions — 2024

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Neurological Disability of Both Feet, and Gastrointestinal Disorder. The decision found no evidence supporting these conditions as incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction have been granted. The claims are based on the PACT Act presumption of exposure to toxins.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination report, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding the Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to new evidence received after the previous rating decisions. A VA examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to service or TERA exposure.

The Veteran's PTSD, anxiety condition/sleep disturbances is characterized by reduced reliability and productivity. The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for the period from June 14, 2021, to August 8, 2023.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asthma, IBS, CFS, heart condition, and headaches due to inadequate VA opinions and a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to burn pits during service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, neck disability, coccydynia, erectile dysfunction, left hip osteoarthritis, right hip osteoarthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis with arthroscopy and medial meniscectomy, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, right shoulder overuse syndrome, right elbow olecranon bursitis, and right elbow tendonitis. Service connection was granted for left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic fatigue syndrome, other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder, fibromyalgia, IBS (Gulf War illness), and left knee strain with osteoarthritis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since September 16, 2017. The Board has granted the TDIU for this period.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for all issues related to service connection, including chronic fatigue syndrome, gastroenteritis, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, restless leg syndrome, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Right Knee Condition, Left Knee Condition, and Bilateral Foot Condition are all granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition under VA's definitional criteria.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral flatfoot, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and mood disorder are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions in the June 2014 VA examination.,No exposure basis was provided.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome due to duty-to-assist errors and inadequate medical opinions. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome as they found no current diagnosis of this condition and concluded that his symptoms were attributable to his sleep apnea and insomnia disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and Meniere's syndrome or endolymphatic hydrops have been denied. The case is remanded to obtain additional opinions regarding the secondary service connection claim.

The Veteran's asthma is granted as service connection due to exposure to burn pits and Persian Gulf War environmental hazards.,The Veteran's hypertension is remanded for further evaluation, including consideration of the synergistic effect of all TERAs.,The Veteran's IBS associated with exposure to Persian Gulf War environmental hazards is granted as service connection.,The Veteran's recurrent disability manifested by fatigue (claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome) is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a current diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis, is remanded due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic disability manifested by fatigue, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multi symptom illness such as chronic fatigue syndrome. His sleep impairment and resulting symptoms of muscle aches or weakness have been attributed to his service-connected PTSD and fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to March 17, 2021, for service connection were denied as the complete claim was not filed within one year of his intent to file a claim.,VA awarded SMC and DEA benefits based on service-connected disabilities starting from March 17, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by his service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain, bilateral plantar fasciitis with calcaneal spurs, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other conditions. As such, the claim for service connection for OSA is granted.

The Veteran's initial rating for his multinodular benign thyroid condition with surgery and hypothyroidism is on appeal, as well as the propriety of a reduction from 60% to zero percent as of July 1, 2022. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to afford the Veteran VA examinations to determine the nature and severity of his thyroid disability and any associated acquired psychiatric disorder.