The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) with myalgia, finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of CFS and that his symptoms are attributable to known clinical diagnoses. The claim was remanded for consideration of additional evidence regarding a sleep disorder.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's fatigue is likely due to pain in several joints caused by other diagnosed conditions, rather than CFS.
- Claimed conditions
- CFS, myalgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194684
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,199 · Granted: 25% (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 19194684.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, and the case is inextricably intertwined with his TDIU claim.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a separate 100 percent rating for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is denied as there is no evidence of an increase in disability within one year prior to the February 16, 2011 claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for IBS is granted due to the presumptive nature of the condition. The claim for CFS remains denied as there is no credible evidence meeting the specific requirements for a diagnosis of CFS.
- Dismissed
The appeals of entitlement to service connection for CFS, cold residuals of the hands and feet, and right knee pain are dismissed.,These rating decisions deferred decision on these issues pending additional development.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.