Migraines & headaches decisions — 2012

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and gastroenteritis. The Veteran was not granted service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after the scheduled hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and vertigo are still under consideration.

Throughout the rating period on appeal, the Veteran's chronic headache disorder has manifested in moderately severe, non-prostrating headaches occurring once or twice monthly accompanied by photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and blurred vision. The criteria for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent have not been met.

The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic cluster headaches and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a link to military service or events therein. The claim for increased rating for left knee disability was also addressed but not relevant to this response.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for an eye disability, but the Veteran's claim is considered a full grant of the benefit sought with respect to his established service-connected migraine headaches.

The Veteran's herpes simplex virus type 2 has been rated at 10 percent since September 29, 2003. Her migraines have not met the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cognitive disorder, tinnitus, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for residuals of a shrapnel wound to the head has been increased to 50 percent effective September 29, 1988.,Since October 23, 2008, the Veteran is also rated separately for his service-connected traumatic brain injury with migraines.

The Veteran's osteoporosis is granted secondary to his service-connected migraine headaches. The claim for carcinoid cancer remains pending as its status is unknown. His right ear hearing loss and migraine headaches are both rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected chronic brain syndrome and any associated psychiatric conditions. The RO will also consider assigning separate evaluations for these conditions.

The Veteran's joint pain, muscle pain, and sleep disturbance are attributed to fibromyalgia. Her headaches are diagnosed as tension headaches and not due to an undiagnosed illness. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a more detailed VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's headaches and dizziness due to cerebellar dysfunction.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for additional development of his claims, including VA examinations and the provision of a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD-related memory loss, have rendered him unemployable consistent with his education and occupational experience. Therefore, the Board grants a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased initial ratings for fibromyalgia with headaches and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim to reopen and his claim for a higher rating for hypertensive heart disease are decided herein. The claim to reopen is granted, as new and material evidence has been received. The claim for an increased rating for hypertensive heart disease is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of her migraine headaches, sciatica of the right and left lower extremities associated with her low back disability, and service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome were denied. The Veteran's claim for higher evaluations of her migraine headaches was granted up to a 30 percent evaluation effective May 27, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations and obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent disabling effective June 19, 2009. The RO found that the condition did not meet criteria for higher ratings based on limitation of motion or incapacitating episodes.