Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom Board decisions

The Veteran's mumps residuals claim is denied as there is no probative evidence of an in-service infection or related skin issues.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and left leg injury claims are denied due to lack of service connection. The COPD claim is granted based on presumptive exposure to environmental hazards during the Gulf War.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for the service connection of multiple conditions, including low back disability, bilateral foot disability, cervical spine disability, migraines, right hand and shoulder disabilities, right wrist disability, asthma (claimed as Gulf War Syndrome), chronic fatigue syndrome, dysmenorrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and sleep disability. As a result, these claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of March 3, 2022, for the award of service connection for aortic aneurysm is granted. The rating assigned remains at 60 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of a separate disability or symptom that was incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an undiagnosed illness manifested as fatigue and asthma have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service exposure to environmental hazards while serving in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran is granted service connection for an undiagnosed illness characterized by fatigue, but denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tendinosis, left lower extremity restless leg syndrome, right lower extremity restless leg syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as due to an undiagnosed illness. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to her military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical strain, bilateral hip strain, left shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and tendinopathy, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.

Service connection is granted for fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms as due to an undiagnosed illness, and for a headache disability.,Service connection is denied for bilateral restless leg syndrome.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for prostate cancer associated with herbicide exposure prior to July 14, 2011 is denied.,An increased rating of 40 percent for service-connected prostate cancer is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for undiagnosed illnesses and a right shoulder disability have been granted.,Service connection has been established for an undiagnosed illness manifested by nasal congestion, tenderness under the eyes and around the nose, difficulty breathing, chronic allergies, and migraines with symptoms of light sensitivity, pressure in the frontal area of the head, and the sensation of swollen eyes.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, is granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected insomnia disorder.,Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome resulting from Persian Gulf service is granted on a presumptive basis.

The Veteran's ulcerative colitis is granted service connection, but his jaw condition, lumbar spine condition, bilateral hip condition, cervical spine disability, bilateral shoulder condition, Gulf War illness, sleep disturbances, and headache condition are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and review, including service connection claims for various disabilities. The Veteran's active service is from January 2013 to October 2017.

The Veteran's left knee disability manifested by pain is granted, with the reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.,Service connection for signs and symptoms involving the lower respiratory system due to undiagnosed illness is granted, with the reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.,An increased rating of 50 percent for PTSD is granted.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, an undiagnosed illness or MUCMI (including CFS), and a lumbar spine disability. The claim for readjudication of the sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for CFS, an undiagnosed illness, and a MUCMI was denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions in the record.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for undiagnosed illness manifested by chest pains and numbness of the bilateral upper extremities have been granted. The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU prior to April 4, 2023.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, finding that his COPD was causally related to his tobacco use and not incurred in or otherwise related to his service.