The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, as the earliest formal claim was received on March 23, 2021.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence demonstrating an intent to file a claim for chronic fatigue syndrome prior to March 23, 2021, and thus the effective date of March 23, 2021, cannot be earlier than this date.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25037693
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 asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- 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).
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 60 percent disability rating for chronic fatigue syndrome and a 30 percent disability rating for sinusitis, while remanding the claims for service connection for an ovarian condition and increased ratings for tension headaches.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of February 23, 2022, for the award of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome.
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.