Migraines & headaches decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a travel board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the Muskogee RO.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's claimed conditions to service, including her hysterectomy and irritable bowel syndrome. The Board also determined that there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a current disability for headaches or bruxism. For muscle spasms of bilateral shoulders, the underlying preexisting condition did not worsen during service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's hypertension, chronic headaches, right ring finger injury, and bilateral foot disorder were incurred during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA). Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claimed conditions of headaches, a skin disorder (claimed as jungle rot), and a gastrointestinal disability (claimed as nausea) were not found to be related to service or due to exposure to Agent Orange. The Board determined that the Veteran did not have current diagnoses for these conditions.

The Veteran's headaches are etiologically related to his service-connected PTSD and its associated mental health conditions, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), tension, and anxiety. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports this relationship.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have not caused very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability, so a rating in excess of 30 percent is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and headaches are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records, provide secondary service connection notice, and schedule VA examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied her claim. The issue of migraine headaches is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and a skin disorder. The claim for residuals of dental trauma was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and right elbow disorder in April 2006. The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new evidence submitted since the last final denial.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that liver cancer did not develop in service or was otherwise causally related to service. The Veteran had a history of major depressive disorder and tension headaches which were service connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current headache disorder, to include migraines, is etiologically related to his service-connected PTSD and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back strain and rheumatoid arthritis, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection based on direct service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, memory loss, headache, and sleep disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's initial ratings for headaches and bilateral wrist arthritis were denied as there was no evidence of characteristic prostrating attacks averaging once a month over the last several months, or less frequent attacks warranting a noncompensable rating. The initial staged ratings for degenerative arthritic changes of the right and left wrists met the criteria for 10 percent ratings.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right shoulder disability and migraine headaches. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to address these issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches, kidney pain, chest pain, abdominal pain, tremors, and dermatitis are not disabilities eligible for service connection or have not been shown to be related to TCE exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with the exception of his claim for a left hand disability. The remaining conditions were found to be related to his military service and assigned initial noncompensable evaluations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.