Fibromyalgia decisions — 2015

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of fibromyalgia and chronic body aches, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the 1995 rating decision that denied service connection for migraine headaches and chronic condition to account for body aches. The effective date remains May 13, 2008.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, manifesting as chronic diarrhea, is service connected.,The Veteran's fibromyalgia disability is also service connected.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected fibromyalgia and TMJ with bruxism.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of her medical records.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left ankle disability from December 23, 1997 to September 19, 2005 and from May 15, 2009 to May 11, 2013.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The issues of service connection for various other conditions due to undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disabilities have also been addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia have been granted, with the presumption of exposure to undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability due to his service in the Southwest Asia Theater during the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for service connection of fibromyalgia, thus the Board has dismissed the matter.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fibromyalgia is aggravated by his service-connected chronic right ankle sprain with degenerative changes status post-secondary ankle reconstruction, and thus grants service connection for fibromyalgia on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including brain cyst, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, headaches, fibromyalgia, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and bilateral tinnitus, preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board has also dismissed the kidney disability claim as withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and review of recent medical records. The claims for service connection and increased rating are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease was granted, while her claim for fibromyalgia was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and depressive disorder have rendered him unemployable for substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left patellar femoral syndrome with thigh atrophy was denied as the condition did not meet criteria for an increased rating.,Service connection for generalized nerve pain (claimed as fibromyalgia) and chronic fatigue syndrome (claimed as fibromyalgia) were both denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or undiagnosed illness related to Gulf War exposure. The Veteran's fibromyalgia was found to be a manifestation of her diagnosed condition.,Service connection for fibromyalgia, numbness and tingling (claimed as fibromyalgia), joint pain and stiffness (claimed as fibromyalgia), inability to hold heavy objects (claimed as fibromyalgia), nausea, sore muscles (claimed as fibromyalgia), abdominal pain, sinusitis, and dizziness were all denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or undiagnosed illness related to Gulf War exposure. The Veteran's symptoms were found to be manifestations of her diagnosed condition.,The Veteran was granted service connection for anxiety (previously characterized as a personality disorder) effective July 22, 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fibromyalgia was not incurred during military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective July 24, 2006. The Board has also granted a TDIU for the period from February 18, 2012 to January 2013.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development of her employment status. The Board will re-adjudicate the TDIU claim based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and arthritis have been reopened, but the Board is unable to determine if they are granted as new evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and service. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for pilonidal cyst, hypertensive heart disease, headaches, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, fibromyalgia, and liver disability. The reasons given were lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or herbicide exposure.