Fibromyalgia decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including swollen and painful joints (fibromyalgia), osteoarthritis of the spine, and neuropathy of the arms and legs, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to an in-service electrical shock.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, fibromyalgia, and chronic dermatitis. The claim of reopening a previously denied hypertension was also denied. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, right foot neuropathy, left foot neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic retinopathy were not granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining SSA records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination.

The veteran's fibromyalgia was initially evaluated as noncompensable prior to March 7, 2005. From March 7, 2005 to March 27, 2008, the evaluation remained at 10 percent. Beginning March 28, 2008, a 20 percent evaluation was granted.

The Veteran's claims for nerve and muscle damage due to surgery, right groin (to include right pelvic/hip damage causing the right side to be shorter than the left), root canal problems (to include gum disease with loss of teeth), fibromyalgia (to include body wide sickness and nausea secondary to dental work and extreme fatigue), depression, insomnia, neck problems (claimed as neck problems with bone spurring), back problems (claimed as scoliosis in the spine), chronic ear problems (claimed as hole punctured and eardrum), anemia, vision problems (to include an eye condition), hearing loss, impairment of the right knee, right foot condition, head condition, carpal tunnel syndrome, right (also claimed as paralysis of medial nerve), left knee condition, and left foot condition have all been denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed disabilities, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated by active service and did not manifest until many years after service. The claims based on undiagnosed illness are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from September 1, 2004 to September 2, 2004 were not reimbursable as she did not meet the criteria for reimbursement under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fibromyalgia is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and grants service connection for this condition. The claim for depression must be remanded for a medical opinion regarding whether it is related to PTSD or another service-connected disability, or if it is a separate condition. The claim for chronic pain and fatigue must also be remanded for a medical opinion on its relationship to the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions are remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and endometriosis with cystic ovarian lesions due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board granted service connection for fibromyalgia, finding that the Veteran's current condition is etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD, a cervical spine disability, a lower extremity disability, a skin disability, a sinus disability, headaches, heart disease, fibromyalgia, and a dental disability as there is no competent medical evidence showing that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are causally related to his active duty service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle sprain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), arthritis of the bilateral hands, wrists, elbows and left ankle, and fibromyalgia.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, a psychiatric disability other than PTSD, sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disabilities, sexual dysfunction, and fibromyalgia as there was no competent evidence to show that these conditions were caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's active service.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, a spine disorder, dysthymic disorder, residuals of a fractured tailbone, and sacroiliac dysfunction of the right hip as they were not shown to be related to in-service symptoms or events.

The Board reopens the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, a skin disorder characterized as rashes, abnormal growths, and an excised cyst on the tail bone, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and shrinking testicles. It then addresses these claims on their merits.,Service connection is denied for a right chest lump, residuals of exposure to sarin oil and nerve agents, smoke inhalation, radiation exposure, irritable bowel syndrome, and tinea cruris.

The veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was granted, while claims for irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia were denied.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is rated at 40 percent due to constant or nearly constant symptoms refractory to therapy, including widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, depression, and anxiety.

The Veteran withdrew all nine issues on appeal, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review the denial of these claims.