Migraines & headaches decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, combined, result in such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further consideration of his claims, including the evaluation of headaches and service connection effective date. The case will be returned to the Board after any necessary development.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions and issues, including cervical spine or neck condition, thoracolumbar spine or back condition, bilateral eye disorder, irritable bowel syndrome and GERD, prostate condition with incontinence, recurring skin lesions and sores, migraine headaches, insomnia, anxiety and depression, and temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). The appeal is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated as noncompensable since October 1, 2008. After a review of all evidence, the Board finds that her condition warrants a 30 percent evaluation due to characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month over the last several months.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, a headache disability, and TBI. The case is being remanded for additional development including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations.

The Veteran's residuals of a head injury and headache disorder were found to be related to his active military service, resulting in the grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical strain and migraine headaches were not related to service, either directly or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of $11,095.00 due to his failure to report his divorce from his ex-wife in October 2002, which resulted in an overpayment of benefits. The decision found that the Veteran was at fault and did not meet the criteria for equity and good conscience.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for pilonidal cyst, hypertensive heart disease, headaches, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, fibromyalgia, and liver disability. The reasons given were lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tension headaches are not related to his service-connected scars and residuals of shell fragment wounds on the left side of the head, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, coccidioides, and headaches was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that meets the criteria for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including back disability, hypertension, bilateral foot disability, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, and memory loss. The Board has ordered the VA to obtain all relevant medical records and re-adjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for emergency treatment at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida from December 7 to December 9, 2011 are granted as his condition was of such severity that delay would have been hazardous to his health.

The Veteran's fatigue and sleep disturbance are symptoms of service-connected PTSD, which is rated based on these symptoms.,The Veteran's joint pain, muscle pain, and migraines are symptoms of service-connected fibromyalgia, which is also rated based on these symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for migraine headaches and TDIU prior to April 6, 2009 was denied. The evidence did not support a higher rating or entitlement to TDIU based on the severity of his service-connected migraines.

The Veteran's fatigue, chills, weight fluctuations, joint pain, muscle soreness and headaches are considered to be due to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness incurred during his service in the Persian Gulf War. The disability has been rated at 10 percent since December 31, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches were rated at a 30 percent disability rating, which is the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 8100. The Veteran's headaches manifested as characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once per month without prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service, while the back disability (claimed as TBI) and headaches are not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his status post discectomy L5-S1 and chronic headaches, status post resection pituitary adenoma, enlarged sella turcica were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable DCs.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but the issues of bilateral hip disorder and migraine headache disorder are remanded due to inadequate nexus opinions.