Migraines & headaches decisions — 2014

The Veteran's migraine headaches are found to have had their clinical onset during his period of service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for further examination and consideration of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a videoconference hearing before the Board at the RO. The issues include rating for bilateral hearing loss, verruca on both hands, and residuals of a fracture of the right little finger; service connection for erectile dysfunction, PTSD, left knee condition, hypertension, bilateral eye condition, and migraine headaches; and reopening claims for left knee condition, hypertension, and bilateral eye condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's right hand disability, migraine headaches, and diverticulitis were all found to meet the criteria for initial ratings. The right hand disability was rated at 10 percent, migraines at 50 percent, and diverticulitis at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a TBI screening examination and obtaining medical records related to the reported motor vehicle accident.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Board video conference hearing. The specific issues of rating claims and service connection are not addressed as the appeal is in process.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed uterine disorder, including endometriosis and uterine fibroids, headaches, and lumbar spine disability to include arthritis are not etiologically related to service. The claims for these conditions were therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are related to his service-connected anxiety disorder and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination. The issues of increased rating for dermatofibrosarcoma, service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes, and service connection for a head disorder are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, headaches, and a gastrointestinal disorder. The claim for migraine headaches, cervical spine disability, and gastrointestinal disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of these claims. The Board has not jurisdiction over these issues and they are therefore dismissed.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted with an initial 50 percent evaluation. Service connection for the other disabilities listed on appeal is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting his claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are characterized by frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, warranting a 50% disability rating. The right fifth finger disability is characterized by pain and limited motion, but does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches were denied as there is no current disability. The claim for hypertension was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or Agent Orange exposure. The diabetes mellitus claim was denied because it did not manifest within a year after service. PTSD was not diagnosed during service and thus cannot be granted based on service connection.,The Veteran's competency to handle disbursement of VA benefits funds was found to be lacking.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining STRs and VA treatment records, verifying service in the Persian Gulf War, and arranging for examinations to assess her fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chest pain, migraine headaches, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The Veteran's tinnitus had onset during service and the Board finds that it was incurred in active military service.

The Veteran's chronic headache disability is related to his service-connected PTSD, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.