Migraines & headaches decisions — 2008

The Board found that the veteran's claimed health problems were not incurred in or aggravated by service, including his participation in Project 112/SHAD.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against service connection for a back disability, and denied the claim.,For headaches, the veteran was granted service connection effective May 4, 1995. The RO assigned a noncompensable evaluation.

The Board finds that the veteran's diagnosed sinus mucosal inflammatory disease manifested by chronic nasal polyps, nasal and sinus congestion, loss of sense of taste and smell, and sinus headaches developed in service and has continued as a chronic disorder up to the present time.

The veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and headaches have been granted initial noncompensable ratings, effective December 2003. The Board finds that the veteran's bilateral pes planus disability more closely approximates the criteria for a 10 percent disability rating during the entire appeal period.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than June 6, 1997 for the grant of service connection for chronic migraines status-post closed head injury.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural deficiencies, including the failure to receive a statement of the case and supplemental statement of the case at the correct address. The issues of entitlement to increased evaluations for residuals of a right thigh injury and migraine headaches are now pending.

Service connection for adult Still's disease and headaches have been established.,The veteran is currently receiving a 20% rating for his service-connected adult Still's disease, effective July 1, 1993. The rating for his headaches was increased to 10%, effective June 1, 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, depression, and a sleep disorder with fatigue and weakness due to lack of current medical evidence supporting these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected low back disability was denied. The RO found that the disability did not meet criteria for a higher rating due to lack of evidence showing severe symptoms such as ankylosis, incapacitating episodes, or separately ratable neurological symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of the veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claims for increased ratings will be reconsidered in light of any new evidence obtained.

The Board has ordered a remand for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the veteran's migraine headaches and vitreous floaters. The claims are not yet decided.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased evaluations of chronic anxiety with depression and tension headaches due to a failure to timely file a Substantive Appeal within the required time frame.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and depression, finding that the veteran's current conditions are related to her military service. Other claimed disabilities were not found to be service-connected.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of oral/facial surgery and migraine headache disability, finding that the veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, hypertension, and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, including periodic accelerated heart rate, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), numbness and swelling in the lower extremities, sleeplessness, and headaches, all of which were claimed as due to an undiagnosed illness during service.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected disabilities, effective June 30, 2005. The effective dates sought by the veteran were not granted as they are deemed factually ascertainable.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of post concussive headaches was dismissed as the appeal was not filed within the required time frame.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cluster headaches, hypertension, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), benign thymic cyst with hemorrhage, frostbite residuals, and anxiety. The conditions were not present in service or related to service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.