Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom Board decisions

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The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been withdrawn.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.

The Veteran's respiratory problems, including rhinosinusitis and undiagnosed illness symptoms, are not service connected as they did not originate during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural defects, specifically the failure to issue a statement of the case for his claims of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disability, confusion, lack of concentration and depression (claimed as Gulf War illness), and chronic fatigue syndrome (claimed as Gulf War illness).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's seizure disability, which is attributable to a known diagnosis, was not incurred in service or related to service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his undiagnosed illness involving chest pain, joint pain, muscle ache, fatigue, sleep disturbance, headaches, and irritable bowel symptoms was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support separate ratings for IBS and headaches.

The Veteran's symptoms of fatigue, joint pain, mood swings and anxiety have been attributed to known clinical diagnoses. The Board finds that service connection based on the presumption in favor of Persian Gulf War Veterans is not warranted in this case.,Service connection for blurred vision and rash has not been established as they are not currently diagnosed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the etiology of his respiratory condition.

The Veteran's undiagnosed illness has been rated at 60 percent since September 22, 2009. The Board finds that the disability is not productive of symptoms that are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities to less than 50 percent of the pre-illness level. Therefore, a higher rating is not warranted. As of March 20, 2013, the Veteran's combined evaluation was 70%, meeting the threshold for TDIU. The Board finds that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.