Epilepsy & seizure disorders decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for a seizure disorder, chronic headache disorder, and OSA due to potential issues with the evidence provided.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions provided in a previous decision. The VA is required to obtain an opinion from a neuropsychiatrist or neurologist and psychiatrist regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed neurological and psychiatric issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for seizure disorder and acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral foot disability is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate development and need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed traumatic brain injury.

The Board has remanded the claims for a seizure disorder and gastrointestinal disorder due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claim is pending.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no service connection decisions were made.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of hypertension, epilepsy, and migraine headaches due to the Veteran's death.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current head injury and seizures to his military service, thus denying service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for thyroid cancer, hypothyroidism, seizure disorder, angioedema, and parathyroid adenoma due to potential service connection issues. The Veteran's conditions are related to her thyroid lobectomies in July 2012 and April 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for seizure disorder as secondary to tension headaches. However, the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected tension headaches is denied. The TDIU issue is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing seizures were aggravated by his military service and if his lay statements about the rigors of training causing his seizure are credible.

The Veteran's seizure disorder is currently rated at 100 percent from November 20, 2019. The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for the seizure disorder prior to August 20, 2013 and from August 20, 2013 to November 19, 2019, as well as the issue of TDIU prior to November 20, 2019. The Veteran's seizures are rated based on their severity under the General Rating Formula for Major and Minor Epileptic Seizures.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran requires aid and attendance or is housebound due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for loss of smell and seizure disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are causally related to his active military service.

The Veteran's service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is granted. The claims for increased disability rating for left knee, bilateral hip condition and neurocognitive disorder are remanded due to new evidence added to the record. Service connection for diastolic heart failure, hypertension, asthma, COPD and sleep apnea, as well as bilateral hearing loss and seizure disorder are also remanded.

The Veteran's seizure disorder is rated at 20 percent effective May 22, 2009. The cavernous sinus thrombosis with expressive aphasia continues to be rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board granted an increased disability rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's psychomotor seizure disorder, effective June 28, 2019. The Veteran previously had a 20 percent rating prior to this date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's seizure disorder and its residuals, including left upper extremity neuropathy, headaches, and mental health issues, may be related to a cervical epidural steroid injection (ESI) performed at St. Mary’s Hospital in February 2014. However, due to lack of records showing referral by VA or specific VA facility involvement, the case is remanded for further investigation.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple sclerosis and bladder disorder, but denied service connection for Wegener’s granulomatosis. The claims of service connection for seizures and residuals of prostate cancer are remanded.