Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom decisions — 2006

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death and entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death.

The Board denied service connection for an eye disorder, a disability manifested by fatigue due to an undiagnosed illness, and a respiratory disability manifested by breathing problems due to an undiagnosed illness. The veteran's claims were not supported by objective evidence of chronic disabilities or non-medical indicators that are capable of independent verification.

The veteran's headaches due to an undiagnosed illness are rated at 30 percent effective October 29, 2002. His hypertension is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, desquamation and exfoliating rash (claimed as undiagnosed illness), and myalgias and arthralgias (claimed as joint pains and muscle aches).

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder and a chronic disability manifested by fatigue, memory impairment, and night sweats. The issue of an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected left knee disorder is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, skin rash due to undiagnosed illness, sleep disturbance due to undiagnosed illness, muscle and joint pain due to undiagnosed illness, and memory loss due to undiagnosed illness. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection based on the veteran's reported history.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's joint and muscle pain affecting the back and neck, as well as his degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct link to active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for fatigue, dizziness, sleepiness, loss of appetite, and joint pain due to undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability, PTSD, and a left shoulder disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of these conditions during service or in post-service records.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine, an undiagnosed illness characterized by headaches, sleepiness, poor memory and concentration, and sexual dysfunction, and an undiagnosed illness characterized by low back pain with numbness and weakness of the legs.