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Va Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Rating Scale

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How Do I File Or Va Disability With Chronic Fatigue

VA claims that can get you a 100 VA rating

First, knowing what your symptoms are and how they relate. Do your research with the Board of Veteran Appeals past cases to find out what has been connected by other veterans.

Second, you need to get medical evidence to prove your service connection. Your symptoms mean nothing if we cant get that nexus. Our company has an incredible team of medical professionals who know the system and what the VA is looking for.

When youre ready to get started, check us out here.

What rating will I qualify for with CFS?

These are ratings based on once you have diagnosed that you do have chronic fatigue syndrome.

If it is impossible to perform your daily activities = 100%

If you are not completely unable to perform your daily activities but levels are limited to at least half of what they were before = 60%

If symptoms are fairly constant but you can still perform 50%-75% of the normal activity = 40%

If symptoms are fairly constant but you can perform 75% or more daily activities, or if you have 2-4 weeks within the past year of symptoms = 20%

If symptoms are not constant but you have 1-2 weeks within the past year of symtoms 10%

Missing Data During Exercise

Data for perceptual and cardiorespiratory responses during exercise were partially missing for 13 participants either because of early test termination or issues related to instrumentation/technical difficulties. Five participants asked to stop exercising early because of gastrointestinal symptoms , lightheadedness , physical fatigue , or low back pain . Instrumentation/technical issues included participant discomfort with wearing the oronasal mask during exercise , difficulty with equipment interfacing that affected communication between the metabolic cart software and ECG/Heart Rate Monitor or cycle ergometer , and corrupted or inadvertently deleted files.

Symptoms Of Gulf War Syndrome

Symptoms from multiple toxic exposures can take a while to appear, and can worsen over time. These symptoms fall into two categories: the ones that fit established medical diagnoses and the ones that dont. The following symptoms can be readily diagnosed by doctors:

  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • other gastrointestinal illnesses

The second set of symptoms associated with Gulf War Syndrome get filed under unexplained, and may include the following:

  • neurological issues
  • rashes and unusual hair loss
  • chemical sensitivities

Of course you could have symptoms from both categories. The reason were making a distinction between the two categories gets at the way the VA evaluates Gulf War Syndrome claims.

Heres how it works. Lets say you were diagnosed with IBS, but you also have some of the unexplained symptoms, like headaches, joint pain, and memory loss. Since a doctor diagnosed you with IBS, you now have to prove that its connected to your military service in order to get disability compensation. However, it makes more sense to broadly interpret your symptoms as all stemming from Gulf War Syndrome. And if you can make an argument that your symptoms line up with Gulf War Syndrome, the VA presumes a service connection and lowers your burden of proof.

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What Is The Va Disability Rating For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

If you follow most Google searches, youll find results talking about 38 CFR §4.88a. Government documents as recent as February of 2019 call those documents outdated terminology to refer to this complex disease. That shows that you want to be sure to work with a disability lawyer that keeps up on the current events and changes with VA disability law! Until the government updates their outdated diagnostic criteria, we work within the system to get chronic fatigue VA benefits for the symptoms that can be diagnosed.

38 CFR §4.88b Puts Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in a category with infectious diseases, immune disorders, and nutritional deficiencies. Its schedule number is 6354. They currently define it as Debilitating fatigue, cognitive impairments , or a combination of other signs and symptoms. The level of these symptoms is what decides the level of your rating.

The Connection Between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Gulf War Veterans

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Gulf War Veterans who develop Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome do not have to prove a connection between their illnesses and service to be eligible to receive VA disability compensation, although at VA Claims Insider we still recommend getting a Medical Nexus Letter , especially since Gulf War Syndrome is commonly misunderstood by C& P examiners and VA Raters.

ME/CFS musthave emerged during active duty in the Southwest Asia theater of militaryoperations onor by December 31, 2021, and be at least 10 percent disabling.

The VA has recognized medically unexplained illnesses, more commonly referred to as Gulf War Syndrome, and certain infectious diseases to include Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

APersian Gulf Veteran is one who served in the Southwest Asiatheater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. See 38 CFR § 3.317

Theater of Operations Covered for Gulf War Syndrome

TheSouthwest Asia theater of operations includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, theneutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United ArabEmirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, theArabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations. See

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How Does Va Rate Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The VA awards disability benefits for chronic fatigue syndrome at different levels based on the severity of your condition. What matters is not the condition itself, but how it affects your ability to work and carry out activities of daily living.

VA disability ratings range from 0 to 100 percent in increments of 10 percent. For chronic fatigue syndrome, the VA will assign you either a 10, 20, 40, 60, or 100 percent rating, depending on how incapacitating your chronic fatigue syndrome is. The 2020 payout amounts for those ratings are as follows:

  • 10 percent disability rating
  • 20 percent disability rating
  • 40 percent disability rating
  • 60 percent disability rating
  • 100 percent disability rating

Note: Incapacitating in this sense means it requires bed rest and medical treatment. If the VA rates your condition as 30 percent disabling or higher, you can receive additional benefits on behalf of any dependents living at your home, such as your spouse, children, or dependent parents.

Can I Claim Sleep Apnea Disability On A Secondary Basis

Various conditions are medically linked to sleep apnea. So yes, it may be possible to claim SA as a secondary disability to an already granted service-connected condition.

For any secondary basis claim, establishing service connection requires evidence sufficient to show that:

  • a current disability exists and
  • the current disability was either: proximately caused by, or proximately aggravated by a service-connected disability.

Example:

You have been diagnosed and awarded a VA rating for service-connected asthma. To link your sleep apnea to your asthma you would do the following:

  • Obtain a current sleep study-based diagnosis for sleep apnea.
  • Provide evidence of nexus between the first service-connected condition and the sleep apnea. You are making the case that your sleep apnea is a secondary or residual effect of your service-connected This requires giving VA credible medical and lay evidence, with a medical statement from a qualified doctor stating how and why the sleep apnea is more likely than not a secondary disability that occurred because of the asthma.

While always important to a sleep apnea VA claim, lay evidence and witness statements alone are often not enough to gain secondary service connection.

Various conditions have been shown to have causative connection resulting in sleep apnea, such as:

  • allergic rhinitis
Asymptomatic but with documented sleep disorder breathing 0

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How To Diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

To receive VA disability benefits, veterans must receive a medical diagnosis of the condition. This can be difficult as there is no single cause of CFS and its symptoms are similar to other conditions.

However, there are a few key signs that can help medical professionals to identify CFS.

  • Severe fatigue after physical or mental activity
  • Sleep disruption
  • Headaches, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems
  • Reduced ability to carry out day-to-day activities
  • For VA purposes, the diagnosis of CFS requires:

  • New onset of severe fatigue that causes a person to be unable to perform routine activities for at least six months
  • Six or more of the following symptoms:
  • acute onset of the condition,
  • low grade fever
  • neuropsychological symptoms
  • sleep disturbance
  • If you believe you have CFS, its critical to get a diagnosis from your doctor. Most veterans with CFS can live a relatively normal lifestyle if treated appropriately.

    Was Your Va Disability Claim For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Denied

    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Veteran Disability Compensation | Prestige Veteran Medical Consulting

    The selfless individuals who give their service to the military are put through a great deal of stress, both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, many veterans suffer from physical ailments as a result of their military service. While most of these physical injuries are pretty straightforward when it comes to receiving diagnosis and treatment, others arent quite as straightforward. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is one condition that often goes undiagnosed or even denied, leaving many veterans in a vulnerable position. Read on to learn more about VA disability for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and what to do if your claim was denied.

    According to the Mayo Clinic, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a systemic exertion intolerance disease or myalgic encephalomyelitis . In order to receive VA disability benefits, you will need a current diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome from your doctor. However, this is often easier said than done, as many medical professionals are hesitant to diagnose patients with this condition. While CFS is a serious chronic illness, common among both the general population and veterans, it is still a very misunderstood illness.

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    How Do I Know If I Have Chronic Fatigue

    Since symptoms of this can vary from person to person, make sure to get a medical diagnosis in order to successfully determine if Chronic Fatigue is what you suffer from. The medical professional will ask questions about your family history and your all around symptoms to come up with an accurate claim. Make sure that during this, you talk to your doctor about how the symptoms affect your everyday life. CFS is difficult to diagnose because the cause is not definitively known. The CDC has come out with diagnostic criteria which aid in ruling out other causes.

    If you have Chronic Fatigue, you will have trouble completing normal everyday tasks. These can be as simple as preparing dinner or getting up in the morning. CFS can appear through flu-like symptoms with a sore throat, fever, headache, and muscle aches. It will also be accompanied by being overwhelming exhausted, where rest is not helpful. This illness is not only something that can affect your health, it can also put I hindrance on your family and personal life.

    For treatment, a medical professional will work with you to make your pain and symptoms more manageable so you are able to carry on from day to day life. The treatment methods could be finding ways to manage the symptoms, coping techniques, acupuncture, yoga, antidepressants and other treatment options. Your healthcare provider can work with you to find the best treatment available.

    What’s A Medically Determinable Impairment

    One or more of the following medical signs, clinically documented for no less than six consecutive months, will generally be considered evidence that CFS is a medically determinable impairment:

    • tender or swollen lymph nodes on exam
    • nonexudative pharyngitis
    • chronic and reproducible muscle tenderness over multiple exams, with positive tender points
    • positive mental status exam findings, and/or
    • any other indicators of CFS that are medically accepted and consistent with the evidence in your case.

    Although the ruling notes the absence of any definitive lab testing for CFS, it provides that any of the following laboratory findings will establish the presence of a MDI:

    • elevated antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus
    • abnormal MRI brain scan
    • tilt table testing showing neurally mediated hypotension, and/or
    • results of psychological testing.

    Under Social Security Ruling 14-1p, medical evidence of CFS must come from a licensed medical or osteopathic doctor. However, your doctor’s diagnosis of CFS will not, by itself, prove the existence of a medically determinable impairment. The clinic notes must show that your physician reviewed your medical history and performed a physical exam. If your doctor’s records aren’t consistent with a diagnosis of CFS, Social Security may decide you don’t suffer from a MDI.

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    Information For Healthcare Professionals

    The SSA has a ME/CFS-related fact sheet for healthcare professionals. The fact sheet, Providing Medical Evidence for Individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome , explains the definition of disability and what SSA needs from doctors when evaluating disability in patients with ME/CFS.

    Va Disability Benefits For Chronic Fatigue

    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Rating Scale Va

    When filing a VA claim for CFS, the Department of Veterans Affairs has to see the onset of this fatigue is severe enough to reduce your routine daily activities to less than 50%, your medical history, and several symptoms that indicate CFS.

    When filing a VA disability Claim for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome there are specific things the VA has to see before service connection can be considered and disability compensation granted. Below is the schedule for rating disability for Chronic Fatigue Sundrome.

  • New onset of debilitating fatigue severe enough to reduce daily activity to less than 50% of the usual level for at least six months,
  • History of studies and lab work showing the doctor ruled out other possible conditions that may be causing the same symptoms,
  • Six or more of the following symptoms:
  • Acute onset of the condition
  • Low-grade fever
  • Nonexudative pharyngitis
  • Tender/palpable lymph nodes
  • Generalized muscle aches or weakness
  • Fatigue lasting longer than 24 hours after exercise
  • Neuropsychological symptoms
  • Sleep disturbances
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    Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome A Disability

    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can cause a host of ongoing physical and cognitive symptoms that can result in long term disability. These symptoms can be particularly distressing because they do not improve with rest. Individuals with CFS may be confined to their bed for days or weeks following even low levels of exertion. Your insurance company will want to know all of your symptoms so it can better understand how and why they prevent you from working.

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    Even The Va Is Still Learning About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    CFS could be part of a bigger VA disability claim for a higher rating. This official document from the VA talks about CFS being part of a MUCMI claim. A Medically Unexplained Chronic Multisymptom Illness is something that is affecting many soldiers after they come home from the Persian Gulf and other recent conflicts. If you have enough symptoms that point to a MUCMI VA claim, then well present that to the VA instead of just trying to win your claim for chronic fatigue syndrome.

    Our staff talks every day with veterans with hard-to-prove disabilities. We know how to work with you, your spouse, and the VA to get you a fair and just hearing. We can even help you appeal a denial and fight for an earlier effective date in case the VA tried you cheat you out of back pay.

    combined VA rating and monthly payment

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    Why Is Presumption Of Service Connection So Important

    Presumptive service connection is important because it allows the VA to skip the nexus requirement, meaning you dont need a doctor to say that all your symptoms stem from a particular event or events that occurred during your deployment overseas. In other words, it cuts through a layer of red tape. The only requirements for presumptive service connection for Gulf War syndrome are the following:

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    How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosed

    VA Disability Rating for Lower Back Pain

    Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be a bit tricky and understandably so because there is no set test to make the determination. What the doctor may do is multiple laboratory tests to rule out some other underlying cause. For instance, if you complain of being tired all the time your doctor may order blood tests to check for anemia, diabetes, and hypothyroidism all of which cause fatigue. Also, to check for the cause of fatigue a doctor may do physical examinations such as an exercise stress test to check on the function of the heart and lungs. Sleep studies can be done to rule out Obstructive Sleep Apnea or other sleep disorders preventing restful sleep. What the doctor is trying to do is check all possible outcomes for the symptoms to make sure a clear diagnosis can be given. As the patient, this can be a stressful time, which is why it is so important to tell your doctor all the symptoms you have even if they seem silly or strange.

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    An Independent Medical Examination Can Change The Outcome Of Your Claim

    If you receive a low disability rating from the VA, you may be able to get your rating changed by presenting further medical evidence. One of the best ways to make a strong case for getting a higher disability rating is to get an independent medical examination .

    An independent medical examination involves an evaluation by a doctor who is not affiliated with the VA. When you get an IME, your doctor will review your military records and perform any necessary tests to establish a stronger connection between your disability and your military service. These can be extremely effective if you visit your family doctor who has treated your condition over time and understands the effects of your disability on your life.

    The results of an independent medical examination can be presented to the VA as part of the appeals process. The VA gives every Veteran who applies to receive benefits an in-house examination known as the Compensation & Pension Exam, and the results of this test can have a key role in the outcome of a claim. However, the results of an independent medical examination can help to support your claim if your C& P exam was inconclusive.

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