Migraines & headaches decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected psychophysiological gastrointestinal disorder, also known as abdominal migraine, warrants a 70 percent evaluation based on its significant occupational and social impairment.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and residuals of low back injury as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's period of active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded to the RO for further action, including obtaining VA Vocational Rehabilitation records, psychiatric treatment records, and considering secondary service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD. The veteran withdrew her appeal regarding the increased rating for GERD.

The RO denied a higher rating for the veteran's migraine headaches, currently evaluated at 50 percent.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 30 percent. The VA denied claims for right shoulder, neck, and hip disorders, headaches, finger amputations, and below the knee amputations as not related to his service.

The veteran's headaches are considered part of his service-connected maxillary sinusitis and are already reflected in the current evaluation. The claim for an earlier effective date for acne scarring, atopic dermatitis, and depressive disorder is denied as it was not 50% disabling prior to September 15, 1989.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD with secondary bipolar disorder and depression, as well as the issues of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance and TDIU.,No specific rating was assigned in this decision.

The Board found no objective indications of chronic disability for the claimed conditions and concluded that they were not incurred or aggravated in active military service nor may they be presumed to be related to such service or symptoms of undiagnosed illness related to service in Southwest Asia.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection of headaches, finding that there is no current disability and no link to service.

The Board denied the appeals for service connection for an eye disorder and a right shoulder disorder, and remanded other issues to the RO for further development.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for headaches, which is secondary to a pre-existing condition, has been remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice regarding the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for joint pain, memory loss, and headaches as manifestations of undiagnosed illnesses resulting from his service in the Persian Gulf War.

The veteran's symptoms of fatigue are attributed to his chronic heart problem, depression, and deconditioning. The Board found that the veteran does not exhibit signs and symptoms of fatigue as a manifestation of an undiagnosed illness incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's exposure to an artillery blast in service and his current migraine accompaniment syndrome with blurred vision and headaches.

The VA has granted service connection for headaches secondary to hypertension, but the veteran's condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his medical records and Social Security Administration records. The VA will determine if the veteran's current psychiatric, right knee, low back, left ear disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board finds that the appellant's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection grants of PTSD, bilateral pingueculae, and a gastrointestinal disorder classified as 'gastritis with esophagitis and duodenitis'.