Migraines & headaches decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical examinations and opinions regarding her claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for alcoholism, increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for muscle contraction headaches, lumbosacral strain (low back pain), a cervical spine disability, and a bilateral shoulder disability have been denied due to lack of legal merit.

The Board has determined that service connection can be granted for chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disturbance due to sleep apnea, and fibromyalgia as due to undiagnosed illnesses. Headaches are not considered due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has determined that the veteran's headaches, variously diagnosed, were incurred in active military service and granted service connection for this condition. The decision regarding tinnitus is pending as it was not addressed by the Board.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for residuals of a low back injury and granted service connection. The veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, effective from August 2000.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further examination and review of his medical records.

The veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are granted, including organic brain damage, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, multiple joint pain, tinnitus, chronic diarrhea, and headaches.

The VA determined that the veteran's coronary artery disease, which was diagnosed in 1987, is not related to his active service. The Board found no evidence of migraine headaches during service and concluded that there is insufficient medical evidence linking current migraines to service.,Service connection for both coronary artery disease and migraine headaches were denied as the veteran did not provide sufficient medical evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches, finding that there was no evidence showing a disease or injury in service and no relationship between current headaches and any service-connected disability.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess all residuals of his inservice closed head injury and any related conditions. The RO should consider whether additional ratings are warranted under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that further development is required to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his service-connected conditions and their impact on his ability to work.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, scarring of the left ear, headaches, and residuals of a head wound. The evidence received is considered duplicative or insufficient to establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the veteran's claims, including VA examinations to address his fibromyalgia and stomach disorder.

The Board has determined that additional medical examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of skull fracture, to include headaches, is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for increased PTSD, reopening a right wrist injury claim, and service connection for various conditions were denied. The denial of the PTSD claim is due to failure to meet the criteria for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent. The denial of the right wrist injury claim is due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection was not granted for asthma, digestive disorder, broken finger (right or left), patellofemoral arthritis, headaches, bilateral hearing loss, prostatitis, skin disorders, or lung disorders.

The RO denied increased ratings for cluster headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The veteran did not file a timely and adequate substantive appeal.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for mixed headaches, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome are being remanded due to procedural deficiencies and the need for additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examination. The veteran's claim of service connection for headaches and temporal intracerebral hematoma associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage is pending.

The appellant has withdrawn the appeal, thus it is dismissed.