Migraines & headaches decisions — 2000

The Board has granted a 30% rating for the veteran's headaches, effective from March 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, finding that any head injury in service resolved without residual disability and is unrelated to current disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for reopening his tinnitus claim and for an increased rating for his tension headaches, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the tinnitus claim and that the current 10 percent evaluation for tension headaches is appropriate.

The Board has remanded the case back to the RO for further development, including obtaining service medical records from 1986-1992 and attempting to reopen a claim for cervical spine disorder.

The Board finds a reasonable possibility exists that further examination or development will aid in establishing service connection for visual disability and tension headaches.,There is no reasonable possibility of establishing service connection for memory loss or profuse sweating.

The veteran's migraine headaches and exotropia with double vision were not aggravated by service, and are considered preexisting conditions. Service connection for bilateral upper extremity pain is denied as it is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and seizures, as well as evaluations for stress reactions of both legs. The veteran was granted service connection for stress reactions of the left and right legs but with noncompensable ratings.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and records, particularly regarding the veteran's claimed stressors in service. The issues of PTSD, skin disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, headaches and brain hemorrhage, respiratory disorder, fatigue, vision disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, and dementia are all on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his residual scar laceration of the forehead with frontal headaches by history, finding that the evidence did not show moderate disfigurement or ulceration/painful tender scars. The veteran's headaches were also found unrelated to his service-connected scar.

The veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches and memory loss due to undiagnosed illnesses are not well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a gunshot wound to the face is denied. The issue of entitlement to an increased disability rating for cervical spine injury with retained bullet remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches, hypertension, loss of sex drive, and sleep disturbance due to the veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted a 20% disability rating for the service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, effective from when this determination was made. The claim for increased evaluation for tension headaches remains denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for sinus disorder, headaches, residuals of frostbite, neuropathy, and shoulder disorder are not well grounded. The evidence submitted since the final decisions does not provide a sufficient basis to reopen these claims.

The Board found no evidence of an undiagnosed illness or objective indications of a chronic disability associated with fatigue, memory loss, shortness of breath, or joint pains. The veteran's headaches are service-connected based on direct evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and gastroesophageal reflux disease are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of chronic disability resulting from undiagnosed illness, nor is there any competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing impairment, defective vision, skin disorder, verruca vulgaris (warts), bilateral ankle disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic headaches, maxillary sinusitis, thoracic spine disability, pes cavus, and left varicocele are not well grounded. The veteran's claims have been denied as they do not meet the threshold requirement for a well-grounded claim.

The veteran's increased rating claims for various service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches is well-grounded, and thus the appeal is allowed. The VA will conduct further medical evaluation to determine if there is a link between the veteran's in-service head wound and his current headaches.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no competent evidence to support a nexus to service.