Migraines & headaches decisions — 2004

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 2, 2001 for the grant of a total rating for compensation based upon individual unemployability due to lack of evidence showing he became unemployable within one year of that date and because his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for such a rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic headaches are more likely than not related to his service-connected right temporal lobe craniotomy and/or head injury from a parachute jump in 1988, granting service connection for these residuals.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining service medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his low back strain, right shoulder condition, and psychiatric issues.

The Board has received notification from the appellant that they wish to withdraw their appeal, leading to its dismissal.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including an earlier effective date for partial complex seizures and increased evaluations for PTSD and headaches.

The veteran's service-connected headaches and brain changes are found to be secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic encephalopathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional development being required, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressor events.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a depressive disorder, other than as being due to an undiagnosed illness, was denied. The Board also denied the claim for an original disability rating in excess of 10 percent for migraine headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for post traumatic stress disorder and migraine headaches, finding that the veteran's current diagnoses are related to his in-service experiences. The initial ratings assigned were 10 percent each.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic left shoulder disorder, chronic leg disorder, and chronic headaches. However, it denied service connection for a chronic neck disorder, lymph node disorder, lymphoma, liver disorder, and hypertension as there is no evidence of these conditions during or immediately after military service.

The veteran's service-connected lumbar spondylosis with an old compression fracture and demonstrable deformity of L-1, head injury (including headaches and vertigo), and tinnitus have been granted initial ratings. The lumbar condition is rated at 20 percent since April 21, 2003, while the head injury and tinnitus remain at 10 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that they are not related to his military service.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected concussion residuals, including headaches and dizziness. The veteran was rated 10 percent disabling under DC 8045 (brain disease due to trauma) for these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chest pain and headaches, as well as his increased rating claims. The veteran is not entitled to these benefits based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's appeal is mixed, with some issues granted and others denied. The veteran was granted service connection for various conditions but had his hearing loss rating continued at noncompensable level.

The Board has granted service connection and assigned initial ratings for the veteran's bipolar disorder, migraine and tension headaches, and lumbosacral strain. The initial rating of 50% for bipolar disorder is maintained.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before a decision can be made on the veteran's claim for service connection for headaches.

The Board has decided the veteran's claim for headaches and is remanding the issue of lumbosacral strain evaluation due to lack of recent VA examination.