Migraines & headaches decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, including as secondary to service-connected tinnitus was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a direct relationship between the Veteran's current headache disorder and his military service or any service-connected condition. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a cervical spine disability, headaches, right wrist disability, tinnitus, sinus disorder, and bilateral foot disability, were denied as there was no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression), headaches (residuals of head injury), low back disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, migraine headaches, and seborrheic dermatitis have been denied. The evidence does not support a finding that the claimed conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran claims service connection for nasal congestion/sinus drainage with headaches, also claimed as sinusitis, as secondary to his service-connected deviated nasoseptum and depressed right nasal bone. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before a decision can be made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing VA treatment records from April 2004 onwards. The Veteran's claims for PTSD and increased evaluation of service-connected headaches will be reconsidered with these new records.

The Veteran withdrew her claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss during a Travel Board hearing. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records, schedule the Veteran for a VA spine examination, and issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case on the claim for an initial compensable evaluation for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, Epstein Barr/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, fibromyalgia, Raynaud's syndrome, anemia, diverticulitis, tinnitus and migraines are all found to be related to Agent Orange exposure in service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issue of entitlement to service connection for visual complications with associated headaches. The claim for service connection for a left hand and thumb disorder is reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the August 2001 rating decision. The Veteran's duodenal ulcer rating remains remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches, which are residuals of a head injury sustained during basic training, were incurred in service and granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's upper GI disorder, including GERD and/or dyspepsia, is related to his active service. The Veteran also contends that he has headaches and insomnia as a result of combat exposure in Iraq, which may be related to undiagnosed illnesses or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical services provided by Halifax Hospital on April 14, 2006 was denied because the services were not a medical emergency and prior authorization was not obtained.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was granted with an effective date of April 4, 1998. The Board found that the earliest date on which it was factually ascertainable that her service-connected disabilities met the schedular criteria for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) and precluded her from substantially gainful employment is April 4, 1998.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30% disability evaluation for her service-connected nasal disorder, finding that July 7, 2005 was the earliest date as of which it was factually ascertainable that an increase in disability had occurred. The appeal regarding recognition of the appellant's daughter as a helpless child on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support is also denied.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals on the issues of initial increased evaluations for headaches and chronic thoracolumbar strain with degenerative disc disease due to her withdrawal at a hearing. The right knee disability was granted service connection, but no higher evaluation is warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, finding that the Veteran experienced a continuity of symptomatology from active service. The issues of an increased rating for back disability and entitlement to TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims due to a need for additional development, including obtaining service entrance examination records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50% effective December 23, 2003. His hypertension is rated at 10%. These ratings have been granted.