The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to environmental exposure during his Gulf War service. The issues include fibromyalgia, arthralgia of the right hand, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. A new examination is required to address the etiology and pathophysiology of fibromyalgia as a potential medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness (MUCMI).
The deciding factor: The Board found that an additional medical opinion was needed regarding the etiology and pathophysiology of the Veteran's claimed fibromyalgia, which could be related to his service in the Gulf War.
- Claimed conditions
- fibromyalgia, arthralgia of the right hand, left ankle disability, right ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19159761
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 19159761.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 scarring, right orchiopexy and remanded the claim of asbestos exposure residuals. Other claims for service connection were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for fibromyalgia and Gulf War unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness, bronchus, as well as an extension of the temporary 100 percent disability evaluation.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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