Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for obstructive sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, generalized muscle weakness and aching (including as due to an undiagnosed illness), respiratory disorder, and body rashes (including as due to an undiagnosed illness) due to insufficient development of evidence.

The Veteran's chronic diarrhea is due to an undiagnosed illness presumptively related to his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. The claims for GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, hiatal hernia, and left knee disability are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran's STRs did not reveal any complaints or treatments for this condition in-service.,The Board also denied service connection for right foot and left knee disorders. There were no complaints or treatments related to these conditions during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear employment information and requests that the Veteran provide details of his employment from September 2011 to April 14, 2014. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to April 15, 2014 is still pending.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a skin disability are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability, hemorrhoids, and an undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, respiratory symptoms, and sleep disturbances due to inadequate rationale in previous VA opinions.,Specifically, the Board found that the VA medical opinions were not adequate as they did not address the Veteran's lay reports of symptom onset and continuity during service.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic disability of the central nervous system, to include clinically isolated syndrome and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (claimed as multiple sclerosis), with symptoms of numbness or tingling. The claim is based on objective indications without any medical diagnosis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and a chronic undiagnosed illness, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions due to Gulf War exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran has a distinct fatigue disorder or if his complaints are part of another condition. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's fatigue is related to service, service-connected PTSD, or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and other conditions are service-connected. However, several issues related to knee conditions, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), phlebitis, bronchitis, undiagnosed illness, and fatigue have been remanded for further evaluation due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory disorder manifesting as coughing and choking, with vomiting while coughing and a lot of mucous in the throat due to an undiagnosed illness. The decision is based on evidence that the Veteran's symptoms are manifestations of an undiagnosed illness arising from his service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his service connection claims for Gulf War Syndrome, respiratory disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeals are now REMANDED due to procedural issues and need further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of chronic fatigue syndrome and a disability manifested by joint pain and weakness, to include neuropathy or an undiagnosed illness due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for headaches, pulmonary embolism (claimed as blood clots), and a chronic disability manifested by menstrual problems and blackouts to include as due to an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran is already in receipt of TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions. The issues include a disability related to an undiagnosed illness or MUCMI, sleep apnea secondary to PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and migraine condition secondary to sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep disturbance has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's chronic headaches are granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and respiratory conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a respiratory disorder other than COPD and a skin disability due to Gulf War exposure was denied. The Board found no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development. The initial rating for his left ankle disability remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records. The issues of service connection for migraine headaches, sleep apnea, a respiratory disability (undiagnosed illness), PTSD, and a thoracic spine disability remain under review.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected undiagnosed illness characterized as fibromyalgia was denied. The maximum schedular rating of 40 percent has been assigned, and no higher rating is available under VA regulations.