Migraines & headaches decisions — 2005

The veteran's claims for reopening service connection are pending, and the appeals for tinnitus, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and laceration scar of the upper lip have been granted. The remaining issues remain in a reopened status.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to lack of evidence showing additional disability as a result of carelessness, negligence, or error in judgment on the part of VA healthcare providers.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a fracture of the right fourth metacarpal, severe migraine headaches, gastrointestinal disorder, multiple joint pain, and anxiety, stress, sleep disturbance and fatigue due to an undiagnosed illness were all denied. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service or an undiagnosed illness.

The veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than November 10, 1994 for the grants of service connection for residuals of left ankle and left foot injuries are denied.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, and coronary artery disease have been denied. The VA has assigned a 20% rating for diabetes mellitus with diabetic nephropathy.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and tension/vascular headaches, with a 10% rating effective December 14, 2000. The veteran's claims were denied for initial compensable evaluations prior to this date.

The veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at 50% since February 2, 2004. This is the maximum schedular rating allowed under Diagnostic Code 8100.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's skull fracture and its impact on his headaches.

The Board has granted a 100 percent schedular disability rating for an anxiety reaction and awarded TDIU effective May 8, 2000. The appeal seeking earlier effective dates is dismissed.

The veteran's lung problems, chronic headaches, fatigue, hair loss, and sore throat and cough are not considered to be due to undiagnosed illnesses or other service-connected conditions. The veteran's compensation for residuals of a left nephrectomy is upheld.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches as residuals of a head injury and hypertension, but denied the claim for an increased rating for PTSD. The veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 100% effective from June 13, 1993.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his post-traumatic cerebral syndrome residuals was denied as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury other than migraine headaches, finding that she does not currently have such residuals and that her existing service-connected migraines are sufficient to address any potential head injuries.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service. The veteran was also not found to have any disability attributable to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, eye disability, headaches, and psychiatric disability (depression), were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The veteran's residuals of a head injury, including post-traumatic encephalopathy, dysphasia, anosmia, and headaches, are rated at 10 percent for accrued benefit purposes.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for depression and menometrorrhagia were denied as the evidence did not show that either condition warranted a higher rating.

The Board has granted a 10% evaluation for headaches due to head injury, but denied the claim for dizziness as there is no neurological impairment.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for mechanical low back pain is denied as the evidence does not show ankylosis, severe limitation of motion, or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc disease.,The veteran's claim for a higher rating for undiagnosed illness, manifested by fatigue and headaches, is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for very frequent prostrating attacks or debilitating fatigue.

The Board has granted service connection for hair loss and headaches, both claimed as resulting from undiagnosed illness during the veteran's active duty in the Persian Gulf War. The claims were reopened on new evidence provided by the veteran.