Fibromyalgia decisions — 2023

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset in service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including considering potential exposure to toxic substances and addressing the relationship between his current conditions and his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for fibromyalgia, lumbar spine disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to additional development being necessary. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tension headaches and TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities have been granted. The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a combined disability evaluation of 80 percent, which qualifies him for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of December 30, 2004 for his TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran had multiple service-connected conditions including depression, headaches, fibromyalgia, and neck pain that prevented him from securing or maintaining employment.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete examinations and opinions. The Veteran was exposed to toxic substances during his service in Southwest Asia, which may be relevant to his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, Fibromyalgia, and physical injuries, make it impossible for him to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and examinations regarding his claimed conditions, including bronchitis, bladder dysfunction, chronic pain, cervical spine strain, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. The claims will be further evaluated based on the results of these examinations.

The Veteran's service records confirm his service in Iraq, but the March 2020 VA examination found no diagnosis for hand tremors, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia. The Veteran's daytime hypersomnolence is attributed to obstructive sleep apnea.

The appeal of the claim for service connection for Lyme disease is dismissed. The Board has remanded the claims for a left wrist disorder, a left hand disorder, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and PTSD from December 19, 2011.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for fibromyalgia before a decision was made.

The Board has denied service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the issue of a compensable disability rating for dermatitis.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is granted as service-connected due to its manifestation during his active duty in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic joint pain disability, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions. The Board concluded that the Veteran's symptoms are attributable to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for ulcers, migraines, mouth sores, body sores, fibromyalgia, chest pain, fatigue, joint pain and swelling, sinusitis (claimed as nose bleeds), shortness of breath, hemoptysis (coughing blood), hypertension, and memory loss. These issues are intertwined with the referred claim for service connection for Wegener's disease.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to non-compliance with prior remand directives. The issues are service connection for fibromyalgia and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during her military service and have persisted since then.

The Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia, bilateral hand disability, and left hip disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including fibromyalgia and lumbar spine disability, rendered her unable to secure and maintain substantial gainful employment as of May 30, 2012. The Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 15, 2013 for the award of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The portion of the decision that dismissed entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to December 6, 2016, is vacated.