The veteran's symptoms involving headaches, lack of energy, restlessness, feelings of fatigue, flu-like symptoms, muscle pain, short-term memory loss, vertigo, and loss of strength of the upper extremities have been attributed to a known clinical diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. The Board has denied service connection on a presumptive basis as these symptoms are not due to an undiagnosed illness related to his service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.
The deciding factor: The veteran's symptoms were found to be attributable to a known clinical diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, which is not considered an 'undiagnosed illness' under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1117 and 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.
- Claimed conditions
- headaches, lack of energy, restlessness, feelings of fatigue, flu-like symptoms, muscle pain, short-term memory loss, vertigo, loss of strength of the upper extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2001
- Citation
- 0104200
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0104200.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence linking his current condition to active service or any incident of service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a restoration of the separate 10 percent rating for vertigo, an earlier effective date for service connection for vertigo and migraines, and a 30 percent rating for hypothyroidism with heart murmur. The decision also denied an earlier effective date for hypertension and remanded claims for obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, and individual unemployability.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.