Migraines & headaches decisions — 2006

The Board denied service connection for headaches, muscle aches, a sleep disorder, and sexual dysfunction due to lack of evidence of disease or injury productive of these conditions. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was reopened based on new evidence but the claim itself remains denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for asthma, headaches, and a stomach disorder due to lack of current diagnoses and insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for residuals of brain concussion, to include headaches, fluttering of eyes, and nervousness. The claim is granted as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.

The veteran's claims for PTSD and headaches were denied, while the claim to reopen his low back disorder was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's current muscle contraction type headaches are related to combat service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, the highest schedular evaluation available. The headaches occur frequently and severely, often requiring bed rest for days.

The Board has determined that the veteran's kidney disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service and denied his claim. The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for service-connected chronic headaches is remanded due to a timely notice of disagreement.

The veteran's PTSD is granted as secondary to military sexual trauma, and she is assigned a 30% rating for her post-concussion headaches.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for headaches has been granted, but the Board has ordered a remand due to concerns about the severity and frequency of his condition.

The veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and determine the etiology of his symptoms.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a 50 percent evaluation for post-traumatic migraine headaches, effective June 25, 1998.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, anxiety, and depression were denied as there is no credible evidence of an in-service stressor. The VA examinations did not find a diagnosis of PTSD based on the DSM-IV criteria.

The veteran seeks earlier effective dates for service connection and compensation for seizure disorder, headaches as secondary to a service-connected seizure disorder, and TDIU. The RO granted these benefits with effective dates of December 30, 1994, December 31, 2001, and December 31, 2001 respectively.,The veteran's claim for earlier effective date for service connection and compensation for seizure disorder is denied as the earliest communication indicating such a claim was received on December 30, 1994. The RO granted service connection with an effective date of December 30, 1994.

The Board has determined that the diabetes mellitus claim is inextricably intertwined with the issues on appeal and must be remanded to await adjudication. The veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities are being remanded due to procedural errors and incomplete development.

The veteran's cluster migraine headaches were incurred during her active duty service and are considered service connected. The Board has also found that the veteran's major depressive disorder/dysthymia is proximately due to her service-connected cluster migraine headache disability.

The veteran's headaches are currently rated at 50 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The Board found that this rating adequately compensates for his severe economic inadaptability due to his headaches. For TDIU benefits, the veteran does not meet the percentage requirements and was deemed unemployable without considering non-service-connected disabilities or advancing age.

The Board found that the veteran's in-service head injuries did not result in any chronic disease or disorder, and thus denied service connection for residuals of a head injury. The claim for PTSD was remanded.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for depression, seizure disorder, or migraine headaches and denied the veteran's claims.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the veteran's consistent claim of ringing in his ears since service is supported by evidence. Service connection was denied for headaches due to lack of a documented onset during service and conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability and headaches did not begin during service or due to disease or injury in service, thus denying his claims for service connection.