Migraines & headaches decisions — 2001

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for dysthymia, an increased evaluation for his right ankle and neuropsychiatric disabilities, and earlier effective dates for grants of service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned ratings.

The Board denied all claims of service connection for various conditions due to undiagnosed illness, finding no objective evidence supporting the veteran's assertions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for mechanical low back pain and headaches secondary to mechanical low back pain, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for mechanical low back pain. The Board also found that service connection for headaches on a secondary basis was not warranted.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, insomnia, mid-back myositis, low back strain, and headaches have been denied. The RO found that the veteran does not meet the regulatory criteria for a current disability involving bilateral hearing loss. For the other conditions, the RO granted service connection but assigned 10 percent disability ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that he had been unemployable prior to December 5, 1997.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for neurological disabilities caused by Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including skin disorders of the hands and feet, headaches, weight gain, joint pain, hypertension, memory loss, weakness, an intestinal disorder, and cellulitis. The appeals were decided on their merits.

The veteran's arthritis of the hands and right elbow is service-connected, as are his complaints of pain and numbness above the knees. The Board finds that ED (impotence) is secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric symptoms do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating due to his acute psychotic reaction due to marijuana usage, which is in full remission.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and headaches due to the lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.,VA examinations conducted in May 1996 found no chronic acquired disorders related to the veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's headaches warrant a 50 percent evaluation, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor. The PTSD claim is deferred due to pending legal issues.

The Board has declined a rating in excess of 30 percent for headaches and denied entitlement to TDIU. The RO is instructed to obtain the appellant's medical records, schedule him for a VA neurological examination, and issue an SOC if necessary.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes, considering his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted increased disability evaluations for the veteran's cervical spine disorder and low back pain, but denied an increase in his headaches.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, fatigue, memory loss, headaches, and a gastrointestinal disorder. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not changed.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and granted initial noncompensable ratings for left knee disabilities. The veteran's headaches were not found to be related to service, while the left knee disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations.

The Board found no evidence of chronic low back disorder or headaches in service, and the veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The veteran's service-connected neuropsychiatric disability, including post concussion syndrome, chronic brain syndrome associated with trauma to the brain, panic disorder, schizophrenia, headaches, dizziness, and PTSD, is now rated at 100 percent effective from September 21, 1989.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for higher ratings for migraine headaches and lumbosacral strain due to a need for additional medical records, including VA and private treatment records. The examiner is asked to assess the severity of these conditions and provide an opinion on their impact on the veteran's functional ability.