Migraines & headaches decisions — 2000

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 50 percent, which reflects significant impairment but not total occupational and social impairment. The other conditions (hearing loss and headaches) are not considered service connected.

The veteran's service-connected post-concussion syndrome, manifested by chronic headaches, was increased from a non-compensable rating to a 10 percent rating effective June 21, 2000.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and restoration of his evaluation for postoperative residuals of septorhinoplasty are pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's headaches are not related to his service-connected conditions and therefore denied secondary service connection for headaches.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus with headaches remains in limbo as the appeal is not about this condition. The Board has reopened his claim for a left knee disability secondary to his service-connected postoperative left ankle fracture, but denied an increased evaluation for his current 10% rating for the postoperative left ankle fracture.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the appellant's residuals of a left frontal sinusotomy and osteoplasty with removal of mucocele, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on incapacitating episodes or non-incapacitating episodes.

The Board dismissed the appeal because no timely substantive appeal was filed within the required time frame.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder, and various gastrointestinal and neurological conditions due to an undiagnosed illness. The appeals were not granted as there was no credible evidence of a verified in-service stressor for PTSD or any chronic disability related to the claimed undiagnosed illnesses.

The Board found that the veteran's current diagnosis of chronic headaches is likely to have developed as a result of head injury sustained in active wartime service. The claim for service connection for chronic skin disorder of the feet was held in abeyance pending completion of development requested.

The veteran's psychiatric disorder is found to have its onset during service, and he is granted service connection. The initial rating for his left shoulder disability remains at 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection were previously denied as not well grounded. The Board has now remanded the case to allow further development of evidence, including verification of stressors and exposure in service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches and hearing loss as residuals of a head injury, tinnitus, and residuals of a head injury. The decisions were final due to lack of appeal or extension of time.

The veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 1, 1996, for pension benefits is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100 percent schedular rating for his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia. The issue of service connection for psoriasis remains pending.

The Board finds that the veteran does not suffer from current disability of the neck and denies her claim for service connection.

The veteran's sinusitis with allergic rhinitis and headaches is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under either the old or new rating criteria.

The veteran's combined disability rating is no more than 30 percent, which meets the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found that the veteran did not meet the legal requirements for these claims due to the timing of her original claim.

The Board found that the veteran's headaches due to head injury are manifested primarily by daily headache pain and migraines with characteristic-prostrating attacks occurring on an average of twice a month for several months. The evidence did not demonstrate frequent and completely prostrating and prolonged attacks, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disorder, right knee disorder, cervical spine disorder, upper back disorder, headaches, or left knee disorder. The Board found no in-service incurrence of these conditions and thus denied service connection for all issues.

The Board has denied service connection for neck and shoulder disorders, headaches, tinnitus, and a low back disorder. The claim for increased rating of chondromalacia of the right knee was also denied.