The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his fatigue with flu-like symptoms, chills, weight loss, musculoskeletal pain in the chest and arms, headaches, and night-sweats (claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome) is granted. His current 20% disability rating remains unchanged.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disability has been rated based on Diagnostic Code 6354 for chronic fatigue syndrome, which currently allows a maximum of 40% under certain criteria. The claim was not reopened or the service connection theory changed; only the current rating remained at 20%.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine disability, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19188025
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,421 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19188025.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the potential diagnosis. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further review and consideration.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for brain cancer, low back disability, and cervical spine disability due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain a radiation dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health. The Veteran's military service aboard USS ENTERPRISE is considered relevant to his exposure to ionizing radiation.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine condition had its onset in service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.
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