Migraines & headaches decisions — 2008

The veteran's PTSD symptoms, including intrusive thoughts, nightmares, hypervigilance, flattened affect, depression, and social isolation, have resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. However, the evidence does not support a finding that his service-connected disability renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for idiopathic thrombocytopenia, hypertension, psychiatric disability/PTSD, alcoholism, left ankle disability, headaches, bilateral hand disability, and bilateral leg disability as they were not related to the veteran's active duty service.

The veteran's service-connected paresthesia of the right knee and lower leg is rated at 20 percent, and he was granted service connection for erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied service connection for a deviated septum, residuals of a head injury (including headaches), psychiatric disability, fatigue, sleep impairment, hair loss, muscle and joint pain, and skin disability. The veteran was also denied the opportunity to reopen his claim for a deviated septum but allowed him to reopen his claim for residuals of a head injury.

The Board found that the veteran did not sustain a head injury in service and denied service connection for the residuals of such an injury, including chronic headaches.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bronchitis, headaches and memory problems were denied. The claim to reopen a back disorder was also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and a bilateral knee condition were reopened as new and material evidence was received.

The veteran's migraine headaches have been found to be manifested by very frequent, completely prostrating, prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability from May 23, 2005, warranting a 50 percent initial evaluation.

The Board reopens and grants service connection for a low back disorder, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted to support the claim. The veteran's current neck pain is also found to be related to an in-service incident involving boxes falling on his head.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there is no evidence of chronic disability related to service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, PTSD, and headaches to allow for further development of evidence.

The veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation solely as a result of his service-connected disabilities, and the combined disability rating meets the criteria for TDIU effective August 11, 2003.

The veteran's fibromyalgia was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is unrelated to a service-connected disease or injury.,Migraine was incurred in service, but the thoracic spine condition is no more than 10 percent disabling while the lumbosacral spine condition is 40 percent disabling.

The veteran's appeal for an increased initial rating for residuals of a head injury with headaches, claimed as migraines and dizziness, is being remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection were remanded to obtain a more contemporaneous examination.

The veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder is rated at 30 percent, and the claims for service connection for fatigue/sleep disturbance, headaches, a skin condition, arthritis of both shoulders, and allergies/respiratory problems were denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and pseudofolliculitis barbae were denied as there was no evidence of chronic conditions in service or post-service. The increased rating claims for the inguinal hernia, right fifth metacarpal fracture, and left ulna fracture were also denied due to a lack of evidence showing worsening of these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, a back condition, migraine headaches, and dyspepsia based on new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cancer of the nasal pharynx, otitis, bilateral osteoradionecrosis, dental problems, and headaches as they were not shown to be related to his military service.

The veteran's service connection for migraines as a distinct ratable entity was granted, and the evaluation of chronic bronchitis remained at 10 percent disabling.