Gulf War illness / chronic multisymptom Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin disorder, manifested by recurrent rashes, is due to an undiagnosed illness and incurred during service in the Persian Gulf War. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, major affective disorder, depression and/or bipolar disorder, disability of the large and small intestine and/or stomach, undiagnosed illness manifested by urinary frequency and incontinence, and undiagnosed illness manifested by cold flashes. The RO also confirmed the denial of service connection for asthma.

The Board found that the veteran did not timely file a substantive appeal for his claims of service connection for chronic fatigue, various undiagnosed illnesses, and a mental disorder. The appeal was closed due to failure to respond within the required time frame.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to changes in the law, including the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including low back disability, major depression, memory loss, mood swings, and sleeplessness due to an undiagnosed illness, joint pain due to an undiagnosed illness, testicular cancer (to include as secondary to Persian Gulf War service), loss of appetite due to an undiagnosed illness, impotence due to an undiagnosed illness, constipation due to an undiagnosed illness, postoperative residuals of a lipoma of the left infrascapular area, and blood in the bowels due to an undiagnosed illness. The Board found that there was no evidence supporting these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, finding that allergic rhinitis was incurred during active duty but Bell's palsy did not meet criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot fungus, respiratory disorder, chest pain as a chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness, and PTSD. The appeals were based on new evidence that reopened these previously denied claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his service in the Persian Gulf War, and thus does not warrant service connection under the provisions of Chapter 11 of Title 38, United States Code.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, migraine headaches, essential hypertension, galactorrhea, weight gain due to medications, or uncontrollable tremors. The evidence does not support a finding of these conditions being related to her military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's appeal is not adequate to address all issues denied in the August 1998 rating decision. The claims for service connection for chest pain, lung disorder, and generalized joint pain, muscle aches and numbness are denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities.

The veteran's left knee disability is found to be due to his service-connected left hip disability, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for periodontal disease, skin rash due to an undiagnosed illness, fatigue due to an undiagnosed illness, and memory loss due to an undiagnosed illness. The RO also denied his claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected second degree burn scar on the right upper arm.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have residuals of a right wrist injury, a scar on his forehead, or broken teeth due to service. The VA examinations did not find any current disabilities related to these conditions. For the remaining claims for undiagnosed illnesses, there is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between the claimed disorders and service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, a skin rash due to undiagnosed illness, compression fractures of the lumbar spine, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and anxiety disorder. The appeal is based on evidence that was not previously considered.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated during his active duty and could not be presumed to have been due to undiagnosed illness.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for migraine headaches has been granted. The Board found that the veteran experiences migraines three to five times per month, lasting from one to two days, and assigned a 30 percent disability rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for gallstones, hair loss, bowel problems, sore gums, frequent gynecological infections, and respiratory disorder. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or their relationship to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are considered, with some issues reopened and others not. The highest rating of 10% is assigned for tinnitus prior to June 10, 2000, and no higher rating is warranted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and ratings for various disabilities, including residuals of a right elbow injury, headaches as due to undiagnosed illness, patellofemoral syndrome of both knees, chronic right ankle sprain, low back pain, and pulmonary restrictive disease.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic disability manifested by fatigue due to an undiagnosed illness and for a compensable evaluation for his service-connected chronic dermatitis of the gluteal buttock area.