Migraines & headaches decisions — 2012

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and chronic headaches do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate opinions and compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches and neck disorders are not causally or etiologically related to his time in service, including parachute jumps. The VA examiners concluded that there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, a blood disorder (alternatively diagnosed as mycoplasma infection), and fevers, high white blood cell counts, confusion, episodic decreases in blood pressure, red blotches on the skin, profuse perspiration, respiratory symptoms, and neurological symptoms, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran's headaches were not found to be related to his service.

The Veteran's muscle tension headaches have been rated as noncompensable prior to January 25, 2012 and rated at 30 percent thereafter. The Board has determined that the criteria for a higher rating of 30 percent are met.

The Veteran's claims for left knee disorder, headaches, hypertension, and joint pain of the lumbar spine and left shoulder were denied as they are not shown to be related to service or any incident thereof.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder and headache disorder are related to her active duty service, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have not been manifested by very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, thus the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD, residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right elbow, and traumatic brain injury have been withdrawn. The Board finds that his current rating for right sural nerve neuropathy is appropriate at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 21, 1993 for a 30 percent rating for post-concussive syndrome with post-traumatic headaches was denied. The claims regarding CUE in the May 1956 and June 1958 decisions were also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected headache disability is manifested by characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over the last several months, warranting a 10 percent rating.

The Board granted service connection for right index finger fracture residuals and assigned a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's arthritis of the lumbar spine, headaches, and hypertension were all found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's depression, headaches, TMJ syndrome, and hemorrhoids have been rated based on their severity. The total hysterectomy is rated at the maximum available rating of 50 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues, and no specific rating or effective date has been assigned.

The Board has determined that the claims need further clarification regarding the Veteran's service dates and type of service. The claims are being remanded to obtain this information.

The Board has granted an initial 30 percent rating for the service-connected migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's disability picture more nearly approximates that of prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for cervical vertigo was granted, but the effective date remains February 1, 2010.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for his TDIU was denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various conditions allegedly related to cold injuries sustained during his military service in Korea. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining unit history and morning reports from relevant periods.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and correctly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations.