Migraines & headaches decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran did not timely perfect an appeal to the November 1993 rating decision regarding the issues of service connection for urinary tract infection and left hip pain. The claims are therefore denied as final.

The Board found that the veteran's recurrent headaches existed prior to service and were not aggravated by military service, leading to a denial of his claim.

The Board denied increased ratings for headaches and lumbosacral strain, as well as a claim for individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The veteran's claims were found not to meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board found that the veteran's participation in the Chapter 31 vocational rehabilitation program was warranted due to his service-connected disabilities and need for rehabilitation, but denied it because he refused to cooperate in developing a feasible goal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for headaches is well-grounded, and it will be remanded for additional evidentiary development.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability, chronic headaches, and chronic sinusitis are rated at 10 percent each. The rating for mitral valve prolapse is also 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a generalized anxiety disorder with headaches, finding that the symptoms first manifested during service. The claim for increased rating of laceration of the right fifth finger remains pending and the claim for service connection for an eye disorder is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded and denied them. The reasons given included a lack of competent evidence linking current disabilities to service or service-connected conditions.

The veteran was found to be unemployable due to service-connected disabilities as of September 14, 1996. The effective date for the grant of a total compensation rating based on individual unemployability is set at September 14, 1996.

The veteran abandoned his claims for service connection due to failure to respond to requests for information and evidence, thus the case is dismissed.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for a depressive disorder with tension headaches and PTSD is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the VA examination report, which did not provide sufficient explanation of the significance of the GAF score. The case will be returned to the RO for further development including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a new VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disorder and headache disorder are well grounded, and thus grants these issues.

The Board denied service connection for chronic headaches as a result of an undiagnosed illness and PTSD, finding no medical evidence linking the conditions to service. The veteran's claims were not well-grounded.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of head injury with migraine headaches do not warrant an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for headaches was not well-grounded and denied it.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches, finding that there is no evidence linking his current headache condition to service.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of PTSD, left temporal seizure disorder, and headaches have been denied. The RO found that the additional evidence submitted did not contain any finding or report pertaining to those disorders that would change the prior determination.

The veteran's service-connected left knee disability is the primary cause of his dizziness, headaches, and blackouts. The residuals of a fracture of the left femur are also considered secondary to this condition. His left knee disability has been rated at 30 percent since February 26, 1991.

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and a meningioma are denied as not well grounded.