Migraines & headaches decisions — 2000

The Board has granted an effective date of June 20, 1991 for the grant of service connection for residuals of head trauma; headaches and dizziness status post labyrinthectomy. The claimant's request for a temporary total evaluation due to convalescence is held in abeyance until further action by the RO.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected foot disabilities and anxiety reaction with headaches have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.

The veteran's claims for service connection for migraines, bilateral hearing loss, a left knee disorder and neurapraxia of the feet were denied as there is no competent medical evidence to support these claims.

The Board has determined that service connection is not well-grounded for headaches, bilateral ankle fractures, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral hip disability. The claim of a lumbar spine disability is granted as the veteran's current back strain with normal X-rays is considered to be related to his inservice lifting injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including aching joints with numbness in arms and hands, headaches, diarrhea, skin rash, fatigue with irritability and stress, and irritable bowel syndrome. The reasons given were that there was no objective evidence of chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness following service in the Southwest Asia theatre of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The veteran's claim for service connection on the merits was reopened, but his claim for VA compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for disabilities resulting from medications prescribed for treatment of an ulcer including confusion, loss of appetite, dry eyes, headaches, a heart condition, breast pain and bruising was denied.

The VA determined that there is no medical evidence linking the appellant's current migraine headaches to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and headaches were not well grounded, as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection due to lack of objective medical evidence supporting his claimed conditions and because the issues were not well-grounded.

The Board denied service connection for thrombophlebitis and headaches, as the veteran did not present competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran's claims for extensions of temporary total disability ratings due to her right navicular fracture and surgery to remove an osteophyte from her right wrist were denied.,VA medical examinations are needed to determine the current severity of the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her ability to work.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, seizure disorder with memory loss, and increased rating for residuals of a head injury. The evidence did not provide new and material information to reopen the claim for headaches, and the current residuals of the head injury do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The veteran's post traumatic headaches are rated at 10 percent, effective from October 1995. The Board found that the evidence did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's appeal was denied as his service-connected tension headaches were evaluated at 30 percent, and no higher evaluation is granted.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability in service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection. The secondary service connection claims were also denied as there was no underlying service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for impotence, a skin disorder, and headaches, all claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure. The issues were not well-grounded.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for headaches due to an undiagnosed illness is denied as the evidence does not show characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month over the last several months.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skull defect with headaches, status post excision of eosinophilic granuloma, left parietal region, claiming it as residuals of head injury in service. The evidence did not support a finding that the current disability had its origin in service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for cluster headaches, initially assigned a 30 percent evaluation, effective from March 1997.