Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for back injury and syrinx/hydromyelia, reopened the claims based on new evidence, and denied increased ratings for fibromyalgia, blepharospasm, small fiber neuropathy with autonomic dysfunction, and cervical spondylosis.

The Board denied increased ratings for PTSD, cervical radiculopathy, allergic rhinitis, restless leg syndrome, and migraines but granted a 20 percent rating for undiagnosed illness with symptoms of joint ache and fatigue. Service connection was also denied for chronic sinusitis.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the claim for service connection for Gulf War undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for insomnia disorder and a compensable rating for undiagnosed illness with shortness of breath.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with generalized anxiety disorder, effective January 5, 2023, and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The appeal was dismissed for persistent depressive disorder as it is not clearly distinguishable from the Veteran's already service-connected PTSD.

The appeal was dismissed for the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, and service connection for migraine headaches was restored. Several claims for service connection were denied.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and sciatic radiculopathy disabilities but denied increased ratings for the psychiatric disorder and other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), arrhythmia, and fatigue and cardiovascular symptoms due to an undiagnosed illness. The claim for a compensable rating for chronic headaches was denied.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and denied the claims for an earlier effective date, increased ratings, and other service connection issues.

The appeal for an increased rating for right foot plantar fasciitis was withdrawn, and the remaining issues on appeal are remanded to cure pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vision loss, erectile dysfunction, undiagnosed illness (Gulf War illness), and a rating in excess of 70 percent disabling for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.

The Board denied service connection for shortness of breath, cardiovascular signs or symptoms, chronic fatigue syndrome, and undiagnosed illness and medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness.

The Board granted service connection for an undiagnosed disability manifested by fatigue but denied service connection for muscle and joint pain, including fibromyalgia or an undiagnosed illness; numbness in the extremities, including an undiagnosed illness; and tenderness between the shoulder blades, including an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis and deviated nasal septum, remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and undiagnosed illness or MUCMI.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness to obtain further medical evidence related to Gulf War toxic exposure risk activities.

The Veteran was granted an initial rating of 60 percent for psoriasis, effective April 8, 2021, and a TDIU.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for skin disorder, psychiatric disorders, gastrointestinal disease, sleep disturbance disorder, and neurological disorder to ensure proper development of evidence related to toxic exposure during military service.

The Board denied increased ratings for the service-connected diarrhea, left foot plantar callus, and generalized myalgia/arthralgia as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board remands the claims for a left shoulder condition and an undiagnosed illness causing body pain to correct deficiencies in the VA examinations.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for all issues, including service connection and increased rating claims.