Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder condition and a disability manifested by tightness in the chest, finding no evidence of an etiological relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep disturbances, which may be due to an undiagnosed illness, are service connected. The decision is based on the evidence being at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's condition manifested during or within one year of separation from service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for stress incontinence, Gulf War syndrome, and varicose veins. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, GERD, heart disability, elbow disabilities, sinusitis, nasal allergies, hemorrhoids, and gum disease are all granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, except for reopening a claim for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a wart on the right arm, leptospirosis, obstructive sleep apnea, and acute renal failure have all been denied as they are not considered to be related to Gulf War illness or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea had onset during active duty service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a sinus disorder secondary to Gulf War exposure remains unresolved.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for fatigue, but remands it for additional development to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA clinician regarding whether his symptoms of fatigue are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that any of his claimed conditions are related to Gulf War syndrome or other factors.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness based on Persian Gulf service are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been withdrawn. The claims of vision loss, right ankle disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, headaches, hearing loss, sleep apnea, Gulf War syndrome, deviated septum, and cystitis are dismissed.

The Board found no evidence of a causal relationship between the Veteran's GERD and service, including exposure to environmental hazards. Service treatment records are silent for complaints or diagnoses related to GERD.,Service treatment records do not show asthma during service. The Veteran was diagnosed with mild asthma in November 1998 after separation from service. There is no evidence of a causal relationship between the Veteran's current asthma and service.

The Veteran's appeal for chronic fatigue, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness, has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome and attributed his symptoms to sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for further development and consideration of his claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his undiagnosed illness and headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, low back disorder, skin condition, and chronic cough have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for malignant melanoma and Gulf War Syndrome are granted. The claim for a disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for chronic fatigue syndrome is denied.,The Veteran's malignant melanoma is related to her period of active service, and she is entitled to service connection for this condition. Her Gulf War Syndrome is also related to her period of active service.

The Veteran's service-connected lower extremity disabilities, specifically bilateral chronic exertional compartment syndrome, are found to contribute to his fatigue and resulting chronic fatigue. As such, the Board finds that service connection for chronic fatigue is warranted.

The Veteran's undiagnosed illness has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 40 percent, and his right wrist disability is rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that a higher schedular rating for both conditions is warranted.

The Veteran's right breast mass and left foot rash, chest pain, and digestive disorder are all found to be related to her military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral lower extremity condition, to include radiculopathy and neuropathy. The disorder was held not to have been clinically established or diagnosed.,The Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and bronchial asthma are pending as they may be related to exposure to chemical and environmental hazards during the Gulf War.