Migraines & headaches decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a chronic headache disability for purposes of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and determined that the Veteran's disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, lumbar spine injury, erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD medications), and traumatic brain injury, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The effective date of this decision is not specified.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to have been incurred in service, and his headache disability (migraine) is granted an increased rating from April 6, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic headaches are rated at a 30 percent disability rating effective January 26, 2007. The Veteran's right knee condition is currently rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple lipomas, contact dermatitis and headaches have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board finds that these conditions may be related to his military service.,The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities are also considered as secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, finding that his hearing loss did not meet VA criteria for a disability and thus could not be service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for headaches and cervical spine disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current symptomatology.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, and muscle aches, all of which are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The rating assigned is 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, dermatitis, cardiovascular disease, heart disability, muscle pain, and joint pain prior to a decision being made by the Board.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his active service, including a single incident where he fell from a truck during service.

The Veteran's headaches, which were initially rated as noncompensable prior to September 14, 2005, are now rated at 30 percent effective January 8, 2010. The rating is based on frequent prostrating attacks occurring once a month over the last several months.

The Veteran's service-connected mixed tension and migraine headaches are manifested by subjective complaints of headaches with prostrating attacks, but do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating as they do not result in characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once per month over several months.

The Veteran's posttraumatic mixed headaches, migraine and muscle tension are currently rated at 30 percent effective from October 23, 2008. The current rating is appropriate as the condition does not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disorder, to include migraine headaches, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of his claims file.

The Board found no evidence of a current right knee disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection. The issue of headaches is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient medical nexus opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's headaches and acquired psychiatric disability. The case is returned for further development.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for headaches, an undiagnosed illness manifested by heart palpitations, breathing difficulties and chest discomfort, fatigue and insomnia, and a gastrointestinal disability including diarrhea, parasites, and blood in the sputum. The evidence does not support finding that these conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU remains on appeal due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding his service-connected disabilities. The RO is instructed to arrange for a VA mental disorders examination, obtain any additional evidence, and readjudicate the claim.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for headaches, which he claims are related to his already-service connected anisocoria of the right eye. The case is being remanded for further development.