Migraines & headaches decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches due to inadequate explanation and lack of rationale regarding the impact on work.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left foot bunion/hallux valgus disabilities are manifested by painful motion, difficulty with sustained periods of standing or any weight-bearing of the feet.,For the period prior to July 17, 2015, the Veteran's allergic rhinitis is manifested by difficulty breathing through the nose and other allergy symptoms, with objective evidence of greater than 50 percent obstruction of her nasal passage on both sides. From July 17, 2015, the Veteran's allergic rhinitis is manifested by difficulty breathing through the nose and other allergy symptoms, with credible objective evidence of nasal polyps.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including cholecystectomy residuals, GERD, depression, knee disabilities, respiratory disorder, allergic rhinitis, sleep apnea, hemorrhoids, skin disability, traumatic brain injury residuals other than headaches, headaches, right eye trauma residuals, dry eye syndrome, and erectile dysfunction are all granted.,The Veteran's service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea, headaches, dry eye syndrome, and erectile dysfunction were found to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining his service treatment records and personnel records. A VA examination is also required for the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a traumatic brain injury, fatigue, respiratory condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, depressive disorder, mood disorder), coronary artery disease, left knee disability, and left shoulder disability have been denied. The decision does not address the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for fatigue.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of his right and left wrist disabilities, warts, left shoulder disability, and migraines have been denied as the earliest communications indicating intent to file a claim were received after the assigned effective dates.,No effective date prior to June 23, 2011 has been established for the grant of service connection for warts. The earliest communication was on June 23, 2011.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and seeking authorization for medical records from Maryview Hospital. The Veteran's headaches are being evaluated in relation to her service-connected cervical spine disability and psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches, which constitutes a full grant of the benefit sought on appeal with respect to this issue. The issue of service connection for a respiratory disorder is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection. The Veteran is required to provide updated VA and private treatment records, as well as undergo VA examinations to determine the presence of bilateral plantar fascitis, left eye stress, and headaches, and their relationship to her service-connected conditions.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of a lumbar strain and assigned an initial 20 percent rating effective from January 1, 2013. The Veteran's headaches are rated as 50 percent disabling, effective from April 2014. The TDIU claim is also granted.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence to support it. However, the claims for psychiatric disorder, hepatitis C residuals, thoracolumbar spine disorder, headaches, neck disability, and left knee disability have been denied as there is no current diagnosis or sufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chloracne, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, memory loss (other than Alzheimer's), dizziness, brain tumor, skin cancer, colon cancer, and headaches have all been denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining his service personnel records and medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches have been rated at 50 percent since May 9, 2012. The Board has granted a higher rating for the headaches on an extraschedular basis but denied entitlement to TDIU due to other non-service-connected medical problems.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a higher initial rating of 30 percent, as they meet the criteria for characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average of once per month.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for traumatic brain injury, obstructive sleep apnea, headaches (claimed as migraine headaches), and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions during his military service or a nexus between them and his service.

The Veteran's symptoms of allergic rhinitis and related sinus headaches are manifested by more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting. The Board finds that a 30 percent rating for chronic frontal sinusitis is warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, MDD, anxiety disorder and a neurological disability (headaches, muscle burning, memory loss and tics/tremors) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorders. The seizure disorder claim is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of fibromyalgia and chronic body aches, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the 1995 rating decision that denied service connection for migraine headaches and chronic condition to account for body aches. The effective date remains May 13, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's headaches and because additional medical records are needed.