Migraines & headaches decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine type headaches and recurrent nerve attacks were not incurred in the line of duty due to his own willful misconduct, resulting from voluntary alcohol abuse.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development to determine the current severity of his service-connected PTSD with bipolar disorder, traumatic brain injury residuals, and migraine headaches. The effective date remains pending further action.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for headaches and granted it. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a spine and spinal cord disability were also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's PTSD is service-connected. The rating for migraine headaches remains at 50 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus as a residual of head trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left eye injury and headaches, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during service and have continued since then.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and migraines are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are rated at a 30 percent disability rating effective June 23, 2008. The Board granted the claim for increased ratings and denied service connection for neck pain.

The Veteran's service-connected left arm disability is rated at 20 percent, which approximates a severe muscle damage with difficulty in carrying, lifting and raising. The rating will remain unchanged as the evidence does not support higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability, to include migraines, is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current disability is related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for cluster headaches and hypertension, which are found to be related to his military service. The appeals are granted.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining vocational rehabilitation records and clarifying his disability retirement status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination regarding his service connection claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of head trauma, including headaches due to insufficient evidence in the examination report and incomplete opinion.

The Veteran's disability due to posttraumatic pain syndrome with headaches and diplopia has been rated at 50 percent, the highest available rating under the applicable diagnostic codes, which reflects very frequent, prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to an effective date earlier than November 23, 1993 for service connection for posttraumatic headaches and increased rating for the same were denied. Service connection for a cervical spine disorder was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus, posttraumatic headaches, and benign positional vertigo are not supported by the evidence of record. The current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a pulmonary disorder, chronic allergy disorder, and headache disorder were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his active or reserve service. The Veteran's STRs did not show any complaints or treatment for these conditions during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cataracts, finding no competent evidence to show that his post-service cataracts began during active service or were related to any incident of service.