Fibromyalgia Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings for arthritis of the cervical spine and fibromyalgia with chronic pain syndrome.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted, and the Board finds that her PTSD is related to an in-service personal assault. The Veteran's other psychiatric disorders (unspecified psychotic disorder and borderline personality disorder), headache disorder, fibromyalgia, and fibroid tumors are not found to be directly related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for a bilateral ankle disability. The remaining conditions are associated with fibromyalgia.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion and updating the Veteran's treatment records. The issues on appeal are whether service connection should be granted for fibromyalgia and its residuals of a right ankle disability.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia was increased to a 40 percent evaluation effective February 11, 2014.

The Board found that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's chronic bronchitis, fibromyalgia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are related to his military service. Service connection was granted for these conditions based on their presumptive relationship with his service in the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of IBS and service connection for cholecystectomy, peptic ulcer disease, esophageal spasm, muscle tension headaches, and memory loss have been granted. The effective date is set at the date of receipt of the claim.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and increased ratings for her right and left knee disabilities. The VA examinations conducted in December 2014 are inadequate, and additional medical opinions are required.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, joint pain disorder, reaction to an anthrax shot, migraine headaches (secondary to PTSD), chronic fatigue, sleep apnea, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, right knee degenerative changes, and fibromyalgia. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was received on July 12, 2004. She did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU at that time due to her combined rating of 40 percent. The Board found no evidence of unemployability prior to July 12, 2004, and thus denied an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for porphyria cutanea tarda was not granted, as he has not been diagnosed with this condition.,For the entire appeal period, a 60 percent rating for tinea pedis and lichen planus, to include oral lichen planus, is warranted due to near-constant corticosteroid use.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, back disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right leg disorder, and left leg disorder. The Veteran's conditions were not found to be related to her service or secondary to her service-connected pes planus.,Service connection was denied for each of the Veteran’s claimed disabilities as they are not shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome were denied as there is no competent medical evidence of these conditions during the appeal period. The Veteran was granted an initial rating greater than 70 percent for PTSD, but his claims for shoulder disabilities remain denied.

The Board has determined that the decision to resume VA disability compensation benefits, effective December 1, 2008, was correct as the Veteran provided a valid current address.

The Board denied reopening of the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine, fibromyalgia, and myositis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fibromyalgia does not warrant a rating in excess of the currently assigned 40 percent, as her symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for any higher evaluation under the applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing due to the failure to schedule one.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since January 1, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected low back disability and completion of a VA Form 21-8940 (Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability). The TDIU claim is intertwined with the claim for a higher rating for the low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of fibromyalgia and therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be granted.