Fibromyalgia decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for obstructive sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, generalized muscle weakness and aching (including as due to an undiagnosed illness), respiratory disorder, and body rashes (including as due to an undiagnosed illness) due to insufficient development of evidence.

The claims for service connection for various conditions, including POTS, headaches, SVT, fatigue, joint pain/arthralgia, fibromyalgia, orthostatic intolerance, and chest pain have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need of aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities was denied.,The Veteran's claim for referral for extraschedular consideration for total disability rating for compensation due to individual unemployability (TDIU) was also denied.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia and dysthymia have been granted service connection, with a 70% rating for dysthymia. The Veteran has also been granted TDIU based on his combined disability ratings.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, and no service connection decisions were made.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and TDIU due to a lack of evidence showing that his current condition was incurred in or related to his military service, including his service-connected depression with anxiety.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include memory loss) and fatigue due to potential service connection.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for OSA, IBS, and Fibromyalgia due to lack of a VA examination opinion on these claims. The Veteran's sleep apnea may have been incurred directly during service or be secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability picture prevents him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational background.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia and muscle pain, finding no objective indications of a qualifying chronic disability as defined by VA regulations. The Veteran did not have a current disability that could be linked to his military service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for bilateral shoulder, knee, wrist and hip disorders were denied. The right elbow arthritis claim was granted. The fibromyalgia claim was denied. The depressive disorder secondary to service-connected bilateral club foot with arthritis and pes planus was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing medical records and requests for additional development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for IBS, headaches, sinusitis, salmonella residuals, left knee pain, hernia, bilateral arm numbness, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), asthma, and liver cysts are all granted. The Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA service must be confirmed and identified.

The Veteran's initial higher rating for diabetes mellitus and separate ratings for diabetic neuropathy are granted. Service connection for fibromyalgia is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome due to inconsistencies in the evidence regarding their severity. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as there are unclear employment details during the appeal period.

The Board has decided that sinusitis is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active duty service and grants service connection for this condition. The remaining issues of service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence or lack of proper examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for muscle and joint pain disorder with fatigue, finding no additional diagnosis of such a condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and a chronic undiagnosed illness, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions due to Gulf War exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability causes or aggravates his sleep apnea. The VA must obtain a new opinion from another examiner.

The Veteran's thoracic spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective prior to September 23, 2020. The Board denied a higher rating for the thoracic spine disability and also denied a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.