Migraines & headaches decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

Service connection for a psychiatric disorder (paranoid schizophrenia) has been granted.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of right sternoclavicular strain from April 3, 1992 to July 25, 1999 is denied.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of cervical spine injury from March 22, 1993 to October 28, 1998 has been granted.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at 10 percent prior to May 9, 2012 and at 50 percent thereafter. The issue of TDIU is remanded for further development.

The Board is remanding the claims for further development due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions regarding service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic, ratable vision disorder or any associated disability as a result of his military service. His claimed right hand disorders are not due to disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The criteria for a rating higher than 20 percent for his lumbar spine disability have not been met at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's tension headaches were rated as noncompensable from April 2, 2004 through April 4, 2012. Since April 5, 2012, the rating has been denied for a higher than 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the combined impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability and considering whether referral for an extraschedular TDIU is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA neurological examination to determine the nature and etiology of his headaches, including whether any current headache disorder is related to service. The examining neurologist must consider the December 1972 in-service facial injury and the Veteran's reports of experiencing headaches since service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inconsistencies in the medical records and need for additional evidence regarding the appellant's service connection claims.

The Veteran's pre-existing condition of headaches and dizziness was aggravated by service, allowing for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and reviewing the claims file by a mental disorders examiner. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on all additional evidence.

The Veteran seeks a higher rating for his service-connected headaches, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The case is being remanded to obtain updated medical records and to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including rescheduling of VA medical examinations and obtaining a supplemental medical opinion. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an eye disorder has been withdrawn. The Board finds no evidence of a current hearing loss disability under VA guidelines, thus denying the claim for bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is granted for tinnitus as it was incurred during active duty and continues to persist.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar degenerative joint disease does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA neurological examination to determine if the Veteran's headaches are related to service. The appeal is now with the AMC for further review.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development of the claim of service connection for a seizure disorder, including seeking information about the Veteran's employment prior to and after the effective date of the rating reduction for his migraine headaches in January 2010.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active military service. However, it granted service connection for migraine headaches, attributing them to an in-service head injury.,Service connection was established for post-concussive headaches as a result of a head injury sustained during active duty.

The Veteran's headaches are presumed to have been incurred in service. His bilateral knee disorders, cervical spine disorder and right leg sciatica are not shown to be related to his military service.