Migraines & headaches decisions — 2014

The Veteran's DM and hypertension are service-connected. The claim for headaches, bilateral foot disorders, low back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder is reopened.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for vertigo. The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, residuals of head trauma, is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and left ankle disorders. The remaining issues, including those related to right knee disability, residuals of a right thumb and index finger flexor tendon injury, groin disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right elbow disorder, left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, left hand disorder, sinus disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety disorder and PTSD), and sleep disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches are not related to her service and denied both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's rhinitis and headaches are caused by his service-connected deviated septum, leading to a 30% initial rating for PTSD prior to February 5, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for a 100 percent evaluation for his service-connected psychiatric disability from September 30, 1952 to November 30, 1988 has been dismissed as the Board does not have jurisdiction over this issue due to procedural issues with prior decisions and appeals.

The Board has remanded the case due to an equipment malfunction during a prior hearing, and the Veteran is requested to provide a new travel board hearing.

The Veteran's chronic migraine headaches are productive of very frequent prostrating and prolonged attacks, resulting in severe economic inadaptability.,An acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) was not manifest during service or otherwise etiologically related to such service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, tinnitus, and an increased rating for PTSD were denied. The claim for headaches was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is also denied as the maximum schedular evaluation has been assigned.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claims of shell fragment wound to the right side of the face and headaches, which may be related to his service during active duty training (ACDUTRA).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, left and right knee strains, fracture of the right jaw, right elbow tendonitis, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tension-type headaches as secondary to the service-connected degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine. The claim for pituitary adenoma with fatigue and blurred vision is still pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a headache disorder were denied as there is no probative evidence that the conditions are related to her military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for migraine headaches prior to November 14, 2013 and in excess of 30 percent thereafter was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinion regarding whether the Veteran's migraine headaches are caused or aggravated by her service-connected cervical spine disability. The claim will be further developed and readjudicated.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches is being remanded due to the need for a new medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his headaches, as well as whether they are related to his service-connected cervical strain with muscle spasm.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking the current bilateral hearing loss disability to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and confirming school/work absences. The Veteran's initial ratings for migraine headaches, seborrheic dermatitis, and right ankle sprain will be reviewed after these developments.

The Veteran's service-connected undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue has not resulted in periods of incapacitation or symptoms requiring continuous medications for control.,The Veteran's service-connected undiagnosed illness manifested by headaches does not result in characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a scheduled video-conference hearing. The case is now pending and will be handled in an expeditious manner.