Migraines & headaches decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder (Depressive Disorder), and chronic headaches were denied. The Board found no current diagnosed disabilities related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, qualifying for TDIU. The left flank scar is rated at 10 percent due to painful symptoms.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for cluster headaches and hemorrhoids before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches and fatigue are not related to an undiagnosed illness or any other service-connected condition, resulting in a denial of these claims.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss disability, as well as an increased rating for migraine headaches. The Board dismissed these issues due to withdrawal.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety with depression, arthralgias of all joints, gastritis, GERD, and elevated liver enzymes due to fatty liver are found to be proximately due to the service-connected fibromyalgia. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to September 18, 2010.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a shell fragment wound of the right eye and remanded the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for service-connected migraine and tension headaches due to traumatic brain injury.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's headaches are related to his service-connected traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at 50 percent, the highest available rating under DC 8100, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for an increased rating of 30 percent for migraine headaches, and the Board is dismissing this issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to April 9, 2008 for the grant of service connection for PTSD with cognitive and mood disorder features, migraines, and traumatic brain disease.

The Board found that the reduction of the disability evaluation for service-connected PTSD with cognitive disorder from 50% to 30%, effective April 6, 2009, was proper. The Veteran's cognitive impairment symptoms were considered as part of his TBI residuals and assigned a single 70% rating.

Your appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for scheduling a videoconference or Travel Board hearing at your local RO. The case will be processed accordingly.

The Veteran's migraines were not prostrating and did not result in severe economic inadaptability during the period from August 4, 2010 to September 8, 2010. Therefore, a higher evaluation was denied for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for a right eye disability and headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left eye disability (loss of vision).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left ear tympanic membrane rupture is rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 6211, and therefore a compensable rating is denied. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for recurrent headaches is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining STRs and seeking VA medical opinions to address the etiology of various conditions.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for migraine headaches due to additional development being required.