Migraines & headaches decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection of depression should be April 1, 2003.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, right shoulder injury, headaches (claimed as secondary to an in-service motor vehicle accident), swelling of the right leg, and sleep apnea.

The Board found that the December 1992 rating decision did not assign separate evaluations for headache and neck symptomatology, which was a clear and unmistakable error. The claim is granted with instructions to rate the veteran's head injury residuals separately.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional service connection claims and VA examinations. The TDIU claim will be readjudicated after these issues are resolved.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the veteran's appeal due to incomplete development of evidence, particularly regarding a claimed left rib cage injury and chronic headaches. The veteran will be provided with another VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current headache disorder.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his dementia and whether it can be characterized as 'multi-infarct dementia associated with brain trauma'. The current rating for post concussion syndrome with residual headaches remains at 30 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the veteran's current headaches are related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of August 5, 1997 for a 50 percent evaluation for service-connected depressive neurosis with headaches.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for headaches associated with a head injury, finding that his symptoms were purely subjective and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8045.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic right knee disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied. The initial ratings assigned with the award of service connection for thoracolumbar strain, left knee bursitis with instability, tension headaches, and intercostal neuritis are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, chronic fatigue, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and headaches. The evidence submitted since the July 1991 denial did not provide new or material evidence to reopen the claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD, degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, and headaches have been granted. However, he is not entitled to higher initial ratings for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected post-traumatic headaches and scar, right occipital scalp, residual of shell fragment wound with post-traumatic neuralgia do not warrant an increased rating as their primary manifestations are subjective complaints.

The veteran's service-connected cervical degenerative disc disease is rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective October 9, 2001, based on his service-connected disabilities. The combined rating for these conditions at that time was 80 percent.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and a delusional disorder, as well as headaches. The effective date of the increased compensation for traumatic arthritis of the shoulders was not granted.,There is no evidence that the veteran's current psychiatric or neurological conditions are related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for an enlarged spleen, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic headaches have been denied as there is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA psychiatric examination and reviewing service medical records. The veteran is seeking service connection for various symptoms that may be related to an undiagnosed disorder.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including joint aches, muscle aches, chronic fatigue, headaches, and loss of memory and concentration, are being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.