Migraines & headaches decisions — 2008

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic headache disorder and remanded the veteran's sleep disorder claim.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in relative equipoise as to whether the veteran's service-connected PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment, resulting in a mixed disposition for this issue. The veteran's tinnitus claim was denied due to lack of medical evidence linking it to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's tension headaches did not result in very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, thus denying a higher rating.

The Board found no evidence of a head injury or degenerative changes of L3-4 during service, and the veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

Your headaches have already been granted service connection, so this issue is dismissed.

The veteran's migraine headaches are currently evaluated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 8100. No higher evaluation is warranted.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete development of his claims, including the need for additional VA outpatient treatment records and a more detailed examination of his spine.

The veteran's claimed headaches and hypertension are not service-connected. The Board found no evidence of a head injury in service, and the current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The petitions to reopen previously denied claims for service connection were granted, but the underlying claims remain denied.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the veteran's chronic headaches. The veteran's current headaches are not etiologically related to her military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left eye iritis, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for PTSD, and a higher rating for headaches. The veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 10 percent disabling since February 23, 2007.

The veteran's claims for hearing loss, sleep disorder, lethargy, PTSD, stomach problems, intestinal polyps, skin condition of the legs, face, and arms (previously claimed as itching), diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and headaches have all been denied. The RO found no evidence to support these conditions or their relationship to service.,The veteran's claims for PTSD were previously denied due to lack of verified stressor events. New evidence submitted since the previous denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The VA determined that the veteran's claimed migraine headaches did not develop during service and are not related to any in-service injury or disease. The Board found no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing migraines, and there is no post-service medical evidence linking her current migraines to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings are being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Panic Disorder, Hypertension with Headaches, Hemorrhoids, and a skin condition, do not render him unemployable considering his educational and occupational background.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for facial fractures, right side, was not submitted prior to September 17, 2002. The Board found no evidence of a formal or informal claim for the benefit prior to this date.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 20, 2003 for the grant of a 50 percent disability rating for headaches and anxiety neurosis.

The Board has dismissed the issue of service connection for a thyroid condition as it was granted by the RO. The claims for service connection for a skin condition, bilateral eye condition, headaches, and allergic rhinitis remain pending and have been remanded to the RO.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to permanently prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, warranting a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The veteran's claim for service connection for chronic headaches was denied as there is no evidence of an underlying disease or injury to account for the headaches.