Fibromyalgia decisions — 2004

The Board has granted a TDIU rating, effective from May 5, 1999.

The veteran's service connection for a disorder characterized by chronic fatigue, tension headaches, and bilateral knee and right shoulder pain (diagnosed as fibromyalgia) is granted due to the presumption of incurrence during service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for urethritis, spondylolysis of the lumbar spine, a disability manifested by fatigue with nausea and vomiting as secondary to Reiter's syndrome, a seizure disorder as secondary to Reiter's syndrome, and fibromyalgia. The appeals were all denied due to lack of current medical diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a lumbosacral spine disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, fibromyalgia, and major depressive disorder.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected cervical spine disability and fibromyalgia are being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The case is being remanded due to the need for additional notification and development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA).

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and an addendum to the November 2002 VA examination. The issues of service connection for fibromyalgia on both direct and secondary bases, as well as consideration of the revised rating criteria for spine disorders, will be re-adjudicated.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to comply with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 and other relevant regulations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's fibromyalgia, which was present during service and characterized as a chronic disability, is service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to VCAA notice issues and inextricably intertwined issues of service connection for headaches, sleep disturbance, fibromyalgia, polyarthralgia, gout, and a lung condition.