Migraines & headaches decisions — 2005

The veteran has withdrawn her appeals for the issues of service connection for asthma and increased ratings for irritable bowel syndrome, chronic cystitis, and hayfever with headaches.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to incomplete records, need for additional medical opinions, and other procedural issues.

The VA denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the service-connected chronic recurrent tension headaches, finding that the veteran's headaches did not meet criteria for higher ratings due to lack of prostrating attacks and severe economic inadaptability.

The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, thoracic outlet syndrome on the right, and thoracic outlet syndrome on the left.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The VA found that his residuals of a head injury with hydrocephalus and headaches, as well as his right shoulder bursitis and thoracic spine fracture, do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the current 30 percent.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the service-connected headaches, effective from the date of claim. The issue of an increased rating for the left foot injury is remanded.

The Board denied increased evaluations for residuals of a cervical spine sprain and laceration of the right wrist and third fingers, as well as service connection for residuals of a fracture to the cervical spine. The veteran's claims were based on direct evidence from his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's headache disorder is not caused or aggravated by her service-connected seizure disorder, and therefore denied her claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 28, 1997, for a total rating due to unemployability caused by service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not show that under VA standards, the veteran became unemployable during the year prior to his application.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for the veteran's migraine headaches since March 18, 2004. Prior to that date, the highest rating available was 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for uterine fibroids and microcytic anemia, finding that neither condition warranted a rating in excess of the current non-compensable evaluations.

The Board finds that the veteran does not currently have a right facial strain or any other disability resulting from his in-service head laceration, and thus service connection for a right facial strain is denied.

The Board has granted the veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection for headaches, hearing loss, and blackout spells. The underlying issues of entitlement to service connection are now considered on their merits.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, headaches, bilateral hearing loss, an ear disease/disorder, and a disability manifested by memory loss due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain German hospital records and a VA examination for allergic rhinitis. The veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to service connection for a headache disorder, finding that the appellant's headaches are attributable to a known clinical diagnosis (tension headaches) rather than an undiagnosed illness. The remaining issues regarding the rating of the hypertensive heart disease were addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of flatfoot or clawfoot, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. The remaining issues regarding asthma, sinusitis (headaches), right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and diarrhea are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for compensation under section 1151 due to VA surgical treatment on October 30, 1996, finding that the additional disability (dizziness, equilibrium problems) was not proximately caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on VA's part.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches, a back disorder, and a knee disorder. The VA found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.