Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus with weight loss, numbness of both hands, or an undiagnosed illness manifested by a skin rash. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as service-connected.,There is no evidence of current left lower extremity radiculopathy or right lower extremity radiculopathy, and the claim for these conditions is denied.,The Veteran's right shoulder condition due to undiagnosed illness is not granted as there are no objective indications of a qualifying chronic disability in his right shoulder.,The Veteran's current rating for insomnia remains at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder is related to service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his PTSD and joint pain conditions, as well as service connection for an undiagnosed illness. The rating for migraine headaches remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent rating based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities is dismissed. The appeal of his claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and chest pain due to undiagnosed illness are granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but not for bilateral hearing loss or PTSD with major depressive disorder.,An effective date prior to September 25, 2007 for service connection of PTSD with major depressive disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.,Service connection for heart disability, prostate disability, vision disorder (vision loss), and dental disability are all denied.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for exercise-induced anaphylaxis and an acquired psychiatric disorder, but remanded the hypertension claim due to insufficient evidence of Gulf War exposure. The undiagnosed illness claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and earlier effective dates has been dismissed. The Board has remanded several issues including service connection claims due to incomplete records.

The Board denied service connection for Gulf War Syndrome, residuals of anthrax vaccination, and disability due to pyridostigmine bromide tablets as there is no evidence of a present disability or chronic symptoms related to these conditions.,The Board also denied service connection for right knee disorder and right foot disorder. The Veteran's current disorders were not found to be directly related to his active service.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for bilateral wrist arthritis. The claims for reopening of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and respiratory condition, as well as service connection for joint pain in left arm, joint pain in right arm, skin symptoms, and headaches are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and further evaluation of the Veteran's claims, including his service connection claim for residuals of urethra tumor.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to additional development being required, including obtaining Army Reserve records and private or VA treatment records. The Veteran is also to be afforded new VA examinations for his bilateral knee disability, Gulf War Syndrome, undiagnosed illness, and medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses including dizziness and fatigue, as well as his heart disability (CAD).

The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for a left hip disability, lumbar spine disability, skin condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, and undiagnosed illness manifested by non-specific joint pain (left hip) need further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examination and evaluation of the Veteran's fatigue symptoms, including whether they are related to service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's high cholesterol is not service-connected and thus no rating is assigned.,Service connection for undiagnosed multi-symptom illness (Gulf War Syndrome) has been granted with a 40% disability rating, which is the maximum allowed under current criteria.,Bilateral hearing loss is rated at 30%, which is the maximum allowed under current criteria. Tinnitus is rated at 10%. Valvular heart disease is rated at 70% (subject to regulations governing payment of monetary awards).,PTSD has been granted with a 70% disability rating, and COPD was not service-connected after April 23, 2013.,The Veteran's undiagnosed multi-symptom illness is rated based on the criteria for fibromyalgia. The Veteran does have separate ratings for his gastrointestinal symptoms (GERD) and skin condition (dermatitis or eczema).,COPD was not service-connected after April 23, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran's fibromyalgia and Gulf War Syndrome contributed to his death. The VA examiner needs to provide a clear opinion on these issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after the examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for joint aches and pains disorder, left knee disorder, fibromyalgia, and undiagnosed illness as there is no competent evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder strain and bilateral shin splints was denied as new and material evidence was not received within one year of the respective decisions.,Service connection for a digestive system condition due to Gulf War Syndrome is reopened, but the claim remains denied.