Migraines & headaches decisions — 2001

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for her 20% and 30% ratings for left knee disability and migraine headaches, respectively. The veteran was granted a June 26, 1996 effective date for her 20% rating for left knee fracture but not for her migraine headaches.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including dysthymia, is as likely as not related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is rated at 60 percent, and he was granted service connection for migraine headaches.

The veteran's appeal was granted, and he is now receiving a 10 percent rating for his service-connected headaches as secondary to his right eye cataract.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle condition and headaches do not warrant higher ratings as they are currently evaluated.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's migraine headaches disorder, finding that there is a continuity of symptoms from service to the present. The low back disability claim remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a cerebral concussion with headaches and organic affective disorder are appropriately evaluated at the 50 percent level.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and headaches are service-connected based on direct evidence, without invoking any presumptions or secondary theories of connection.

The Board found that the veteran's headaches and hiatal hernia disability were not incurred in or aggravated during his military service, nor are they otherwise related to his service. The acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD was also denied as there is no evidence of a verified stressor.

The Board has found no evidence of a current disability for any of the claimed conditions and concludes that none are related to service.

The Board denied an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder and did not reopen the veteran's claims for decreased visual acuity of the left eye and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for blurred vision as secondary to the veteran's service-connected brain concussion and assigned a 10 percent rating for his headaches.

The veteran's claimed conditions, including neurodermatitis, bilateral olecranon bone spurs, bilateral patellofemoral syndrome, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and tension headaches, were not found to be service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to higher initial evaluations for reactive airway disease and allergic rhinosinusitis due to a lack of evidence showing marked interference with employment status or necessitating frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Board found that the appellant's initial period of active duty from October 10, 1979 to October 9, 1983 was completed under honorable conditions. However, her subsequent period of service from October 19, 1983 to December 24, 1986 ended with an other than honorable discharge due to a court-martial conviction for child abuse. The appellant's claimed psychiatric disabilities were not shown to be related to her military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right shoulder disorder is not causing his headaches, and therefore does not grant service connection for headaches. The RO should attempt to locate medical records pertaining to the veteran's claims on appeal.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected multiple joint pain with myofascial headaches and sleep disorder, finding that his symptoms most closely match characteristic prostrating attacks occurring an average of once a month over the last several months.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for migraine headaches, as her assertions are essentially duplicative of previous statements.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's laceration scar of the right ankle, post-traumatic headaches, and lumbar paravertebral myositis. The veteran is now rated at 10 percent for each condition.

The VA determined that the veteran's anxiety disorder with complaints of headaches and memory loss does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.