The Board denied service connection for an undiagnosed illness manifested by muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and irritable bowel symptoms due to lack of evidence linking the disability to service. Service connection was granted for generalized anxiety disorder incurred in service. The Board also denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the undiagnosed illness.
The deciding factor: The medical records did not establish a link between the veteran's current symptoms and his Gulf War service, nor did they support a diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder due to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Undiagnosed Illness Manifested by Muscle and Joint Pain, Fatigue, and Irritable Bowel Symptoms, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 6, 2002
- Citation
- 0205935
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0205935.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's dementia and acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety) are granted as service connected. The claim for TDIU is remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is caused by, aggravated by, or related to his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder and memory loss.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Whole decision: Granted
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
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