Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom Board decisions

The Veteran requested withdrawal of the appeal for an earlier effective date for left shoulder degenerative joint disease.,New and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a left knee disability.,The Veteran's request for a compensable rating prior to March 18, 2016, and from May 1, 2016, for his service-connected left foot strain is remanded.,The Veteran's request for a compensable rating for his service-connected left hamstring tendonitis is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability (undiagnosed illness and/or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness) secondary to his service-connected right and left hamstring tendonitis is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability (undiagnosed illness and/or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness) secondary to his service-connected right and left hamstring tendonitis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate addendum opinion and a need for a new examination. The Veteran's digestive disorder, claimed as IBS and chronic diarrhea, is being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of attempts to obtain Social Security Administration records related to the Veteran's heart condition.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), including as secondary to the service-connected psychiatric disability, due to a lack of clarity in the VA medical opinion provided. The Veteran's attorney submitted two articles that suggest an association between sleep apnea and psychiatric disabilities, which needs further clarification.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information and need for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee conditions, as well as residuals of a left knee replacement. The claims for hypertension, headaches, bruxism, TMJ disorder, and sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee disability, right shoulder disability, bilateral wrist arthralgia, bilateral elbow disability, cervical spine disability, and gastrointestinal disability (IBS), due to undiagnosed illness.,These matters are being returned to the Board for further action.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for an undiagnosed illness manifested by muscle spasms, finding no new and material evidence to support the claim.

The Veteran's skin rash to include allergic contact dermatitis with nummular eczema is granted as service connection due to it being an undiagnosed illness during his active duty in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.,The Veteran's severe lower back pain is granted as service connection because he provided competent and credible lay statements supporting an in-service injury, and a private medical opinion supports a nexus between current disability and service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.,Service connection is denied for joint pain due to an undiagnosed illness and generalized degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's mental health disabilities were related to service or his service-connected conditions, and if VA staff failed to exercise proper care in prescribing medications.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, bilateral elbow disability, right arm crepitus, and right pelvis disability (sacroiliitis) due to lack of evidence showing the conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis was also denied.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as service-connected, but his gastroparesis is denied.,The Veteran's migraine headaches and GERD are both remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fatigue and body aches/pain due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset in or relation to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations for various conditions are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations. The appeal is not about service connection at all, so no specific rating or effective date applies.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left kidney condition, tinea corporis (skin condition), chronic fatigue syndrome, and IBS have all been denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.,A VA examination was ordered to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed IBS.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and consideration of new evidence, including compensation and pension examination findings, Social Security Administration records, and VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right leg condition, migraine headaches, obstructive sleep apnea, and respiratory complaints due to an undiagnosed illness. The Board found that there was no current disability supporting these claims.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation of 30 percent for migraine headaches has been granted.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The Veteran’s current diagnosis is considered transitory and not related to his active duty service.