Migraines & headaches decisions — 2012

The Veteran's chronic headache disorder is found to be related to a head trauma he experienced in service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, as evidenced by his lack of diagnosed conditions such as bone spurs, facial numbness, short-term memory loss, and speech problems. The remaining issues (degenerative disc disease of the low back, bilateral eye spasms, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, headaches, and sleep apnea) do not have a link to service based on the lack of medical evidence showing such a connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling appropriate examinations to determine the nature, extent, and severity of his service-connected migraines and whether he is unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The service connection claims remain pending.

The Board has decided the case requires further development due to incomplete consideration of a service treatment record from August 1977 and an in-service assault, and thus remands the case for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD, and he is granted a higher initial rating for PTSD from July 23, 2004 to September 3, 2007. The appeal regarding the increased rating for PTSD from September 4, 2007 remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for cherry angioma, headaches (including tension and migraine), chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. The conditions were found to be not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability for VA purposes and his headaches are not related to service. As such, he is denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's reported head injury during basic training is at least as likely as not related to his current symptoms, including headaches and a lump on the back of his head. As such, service connection for residuals, head injury, to include headaches (claimed as bump on back of head) is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and seizures as residuals of a head injury, and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left wrist fracture. The claim for heart disability is addressed separately.

The Board has not found new and material evidence to reopen the Veteran's claims for seizures, residuals of a head injury, and tension headaches. The existing evidence does not provide a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left fifth cranial nerve traumatic neuropathy, recurrent headaches, and right ankle fracture residuals. The Veteran was also not granted TDIU prior to March 6, 2006.

The Veteran's GERD, fatigue, and headaches were not found to be related to service or any presumptive exposure basis. The Board denied the claims of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for benign essential tremor, headaches, and joint pain on a direct basis due to exposure to mustard gas have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran seeks service connection for headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, and left facial neuralgia allegedly related to a lateral pharyngeal abscess during service. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining in-service medical records and arranging VA examinations.

The Veteran's timely Substantive Appeal allowed for the reopening of his claims and granted him increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and cervical strain, effective from October 6, 2009.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, finding that there is a 50 percent or better probability that his current headaches are etiologically related to his active service, including his in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current sinus headaches are not related to his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of head injury, but remands it to obtain a clarification on the VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between his current headaches and in-service head injury.