Migraines & headaches decisions — 2001

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings on four conditions have been dismissed due to the appellant withdrawing their appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for encephalitis with headaches and assigned a 10 percent rating. The claims for depression and cognitive disorder were denied as not well grounded.

The veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected PTSD, major depressive disorder, and psychosomatic tension/vascular headaches was denied because the earliest date from which it could be factually ascertainable that an increase in disability occurred is September 24, 1996.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA regulations, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and denied claims for service connection for headaches and a skin disorder due to lack of evidence showing an increase in severity during service or any link to Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's tension-type headaches are found to be incurred in service and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting a VA psychiatric and neurological examination to determine if the veteran's PTSD is service-connected and the severity of her migraine headaches.

The veteran's increased rating claim for migraine headaches is denied as the evidence does not show very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks or severe economic inadaptability required for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected anxiety neurosis with headaches is being remanded due to uncertainty regarding the diagnosis and severity of his condition, as well as the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has determined that the appellant's headaches are currently manifested by migraine-type headaches under fairly good control with some breakthrough headache activity, and thus warrant a 30 percent evaluation. The claim for an increased rating is denied.

The veteran has been granted service connection for a chronic headache condition and gastrointestinal disability, but her claims for other conditions are denied.,Service connection is also granted for degenerative joint disease of the left knee.

The veteran's claims for service connection due to undiagnosed illness were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not have signs and symptoms of stress, memory loss, headaches, night sweats and sleeplessness, hypertension with dizziness, prepyloric and duodenal erosions, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, nosebleeds, swollen glands, hair loss, or weight gain due to undiagnosed illness.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at a non-VA hospital due to lack of authorization and availability of VA facilities.

The Board denied a higher rating for the service-connected hearing loss and did not address or grant service connection for vision problems and an anxiety disorder secondary to encephalopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and fatigue, both claimed as due to an undiagnosed illness during the veteran's service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board found that [redacted] was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to reaching the age of 18, and therefore could not be recognized as the helpless child of the veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and migraine headaches. The appellant's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board found no evidence of current hemorrhoids, headaches, or sinusitis in service and denied the veteran's claims for these conditions. The claim for fatigue was not addressed due to lack of development under specific provisions.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hemorrhoids, headaches, and a low back disability may not be reopened.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tension headaches, which began during his service in the Persian Gulf, are related to his active military service and granted service connection for this condition.