Migraines & headaches decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cluster headaches are related to an injury sustained during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected migraine headaches, resolving in favor of the veteran.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current headache disorder is not etiologically related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has jurisdiction to reopen the claims of service connection for residuals of a left ankle sprain and tension headaches. The claim of service connection for sleep disorder (including sleep apnea) is not reopened as there was no new and material evidence presented.

The Board has determined that the veteran's headaches are related to his in-service right eye injury and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including headaches, traumatic brain injury (TBI), a psychiatric disability to include PTSD, bilateral shoulder disability, lumbar strain, and cervical strain. The decision also denied his request for an increased rating for tinnitus.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for schizophrenia and denied all other claims due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board finds that the care provided at Banner Baywood Medical Center was necessary due to a medical emergency and grants payment for all services rendered from February 20, 2005, through February 22, 2005.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including scheduling of VA examinations and obtaining medical records. The claims will be readjudicated after all additional evidence has been considered.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for muscle disability, nerve disability to include left-sided weakness and convulsions or seizure disorder, headaches, and degenerative joint disease of the neck as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's central nervous system damage, including brain damage and attention deficit disorder, was aggravated by his active duty for training. The psychiatric disorder, specifically a depressive disorder with anxiety, is considered to be secondary to the now service-connected central nervous system damage due to head injuries during active duty for training. Headaches are also found to have been incurred in active duty for training.

The veteran's claims for headaches, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic bronchitis were denied as there is no current diagnosis of a chronic condition related to service. The veteran was not exposed to noise trauma in-service or post-service that could be linked to his conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's mixed connective tissue disorder, including systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma, as well as symptoms of anemia, chronic fatigue, low grade fevers, memory impairment and insomnia, is related to her active military service. The TTP was also incurred during military service. Additionally, the avascular necrosis of both hips has been aggravated by the veteran's service-connected TTP.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence to support her assertions that her panic disorder, weight gain, hair loss, or lumbosacral strain are related to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board found no current evidence of hip disorder, neck injury residuals, broken nose residuals, or headaches. The veteran's service-connected left knee and right ankle disorders were not aggravated by the motor vehicle accident during service.

The Board found that the veteran's benign brain tumor and chronic headaches were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and an organic disease of the nervous system may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for headaches as secondary to a service-connected disability was denied.,The veteran's claims for higher ratings for her low back disorder were partially granted, with the RO assigning a 40 percent rating from December 3, 1994, to November 13, 1996. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for residuals of repair of an enterocele and posterior colporrhaphy was denied.,The veteran's claim for a higher rating for her IBS was also denied.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for migraine headaches is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and employment information.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The issues of service connection for various conditions are under review.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and migraine headaches, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for a low back disorder and concluding that there is insufficient medical evidence linking either condition to service.