Migraines & headaches decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was denied as his August 1983 application for service connection for PTSD was deemed abandoned due to failure to respond within one year. The Board also noted that the June 2001 application submitted by the veteran, which sought service connection for various disabilities including PTSD, was not received until March 2002.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches. However, the appeal regarding PTSD was not timely filed and is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, hemorrhoids, headaches, and PTSD. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including skin rash, fatigue and headaches, nervous symptoms, low back pain, shortness of breath, and a right little finger injury, all presumed to be related to Gulf War service.

The veteran's post-traumatic headaches have been rated at 10 percent, the maximum schedular rating available for this condition. The Board found that the disability picture does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, low back disorder, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, flatfeet, skin disorder, headaches, nosebleeds, sleep apnea, joint pain, depression with memory loss, sexual dysfunction, and neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any incident during service.

The veteran's increased rating claims for his headache disorder and skin disorder were denied, while the service connection claims for a right hip disorder as secondary to his right knee disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and an acquired psychiatric disorder were also denied. The TDIU claim was not adjudicated.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to issues related to service connection for vertigo, claimed as an ear disorder, and headaches.

The Board found that there is no relationship between the veteran's VA treatment with Coumadin and his current conditions, including chronic fatigue, headaches, venous insufficiency, mitral regurgitation or deep vein thrombosis.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for post concussion headaches has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected due to lack of evidence supporting a link between his symptoms and active duty.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his service-connected conditions did not warrant the requested higher evaluations based on the current evidence of record.

The VA denied the appellant's claims for higher evaluations for his chronic ethmoiditis, rhinitis, and deviated septum as well as his major depressive disorder prior to December 15, 2004. The VA found that the evidence did not support ratings in excess of 30 percent or 50 percent at any point.

The Board found that the veteran's breathing problems, hypertension, and headaches were not caused by VA hernia repair surgery in June 1987. The evidence did not support a finding of additional disability resulting from the surgery.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and headaches, finding new and material evidence. The claims are pending as they need to be further evaluated.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for accrued benefits due to lack of new and material evidence for several service connection claims, including conjunctivitis, plantar warts, headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including post-traumatic stress disorder), allergic rhinitis, and arthritis.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to address his claims of service connection and increased evaluation for residuals of a head injury, including facial scars. The case will be reviewed by the RO after additional VA examinations are conducted.

The veteran's hepatitis C is attributed to intravenous drug abuse, and the claim for service connection is denied.,There is no evidence of a headache disorder related to service or service-connected PTSD. The claim for service connection for headaches is denied.

The veteran's initial and subsequent ratings for headaches and TMJ with myofascial pain were denied. The veteran was granted a higher rating of 20% for TMJ from June 30, 2004 onwards.

The veteran's claim for an initial disability rating greater than 10 percent for headaches is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of unemployability prior to May 12, 1995, and thus, no earlier effective date can be granted.