Fibromyalgia decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his fibromyalgia, cervical spine disability, lumbosacral spine disability, left ankle disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and fibromyalgia, but granted service connection for dysthymic disorder with a 10% evaluation.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, fibromyalgia, and shortening of the right lower extremity.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of entitlement to higher ratings or service connection based on the current medical records.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and fibromyalgia due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, synovitis of multiple joints (knees, hands, left hip, and low back), and degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen previously denied claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a clarification of whether the veteran's fibromyalgia affects other joints and if her left shoulder pain is due to fibromyalgia. The skeletal condition issue remains pending.

The veteran is seeking a total rating due to service-connected disabilities, including his left arm disability and recently added Lyme disease. The case has been remanded for further adjudication of the claim, including service connection for depression.

The veteran's fibromyalgia and thoracolumbar strain have been granted increased ratings to 40 percent each, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia with polyarthralgia and chronic sleep apnea/hypoapnea, finding that the veteran's conditions first manifested in service and are related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia (claimed as due to Gulf War service) and hemorrhoids, finding no evidence of these conditions in service records or competent medical opinion linking them to service.,Service connection was also denied for a depressive disorder with an initial evaluation of 30 percent.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, finding that the veteran did not have fibromyalgia in service or within one year after her completion of active service and that it was not due to a service-connected disability.

The veteran's service-connected fibromyalgia is currently rated at 40 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The RO has denied any request for an increased disability rating.

The veteran's fibromyalgia is granted with a rating of 40 percent, while his sinusitis and dermatological conditions are denied. The veteran's sleep apnea and obstructive lung disease were not found to be service-connected.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his service-connected stress fractures and his diagnosed fibromyalgia.

The Board granted service connection for a gynecological condition resulting in total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, an increased rating for thyroid disability, and reopened the claim for scars of the abdomen and thyroid areas. The veteran's hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism are currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical spine disability and fibromyalgia, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under any applicable criteria.

The veteran's irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue are all found to be due to undiagnosed illnesses or other diseases incurred in service. The right knee disability is not shown to warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent, and the veteran does not meet criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than October 23, 1996 for the grant of service connection for fibromyalgia was granted. The earliest date entitlement arose is June 4, 1993.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia involving the lower extremities, right shoulder, and bilateral ankles as well as a left shoulder disorder. The evidence did not support these claims.