Migraines & headaches decisions — 2015

The Veteran's headache disorder is found as likely as not being exacerbated by his service-connected hypertension, and the Board grants this claim of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent disabling from August 25, 2011. His lumbosacral strain with osteophytosis is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected traumatic brain injury and tension headaches.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain service treatment records and other relevant medical records, as well as to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further adjudication.

The Veteran's tinnitus and headaches with dizziness are being remanded for additional development to clarify the etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service or other service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability, right wrist strain, right knee disability, staphylococcus infection, and left calf tear. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was not reopened, as no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the denial. Similarly, the claim for headache syndrome was also not reopened. However, the claim for a skin disability was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his service-connected cervical spine disability and these conditions. The headaches claim remains pending as the Veteran did not waive RO consideration of additional VA records.

The Veteran is granted service connection for a headache disability and a cervical spine disability.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for the claimed disabilities will not be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, bilateral hip disability, and sinusitis. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or periods of ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected, while left ear hearing loss and gastritis (claimed as GERD) are not. The Veteran was granted increased ratings for post-concussive headaches and PTSD.,PTSD benefits were granted only for the period from June 15, 2009 to September 23, 2011.

The Board found that there is no medical evidence to support a nexus between the appellant's current headaches and his service, including any claimed head injury. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to his service-connected disabilities, including ratings for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraine headaches, and bilateral keratoconus. The case is being remanded due to the Veteran not appearing at a scheduled Board hearing.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and an effective date prior to May 27, 2011 were denied as it was not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's disabilities had increased within one year of his claim.,VA received notification of the Veteran's Social Security Administration (SSA) award in June 2011. The SSA decision did not consider all service-connected disabilities, and thus, VA determined that an effective date prior to May 27, 2011 for TDIU was granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches, cervical spine disability, and chronic fatigue syndrome are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's service-connected post-concussive migraine headaches, effective throughout the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of any current residual of a head injury.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent from October 1, 2011. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms warranted this rating as he experienced very frequent prostrating and prolonged attacks of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's headaches are not related to his military service, but new evidence has been submitted that may support a claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all five issues related to foot fungus, chronic headaches, sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), skin disorder of the neck, and dizzy spells and imbalance has been denied.