Migraines & headaches decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling addendum opinions from a VA examiner, and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any hip disability is related to service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding his claims for service connection due to withdrawal of those issues by the Veteran prior to decision. The Board granted service connection for headaches and a disability manifested by shortness of breath, finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches did not result in characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the previous several months for the period prior to June 23, 2008. For the period from June 23, 2009 until July 27, 2012, the Veteran's headaches did not result in very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for headaches, low back disability, bilateral knee disabilities, acid reflux, and sleep apnea due to inadequate medical opinions in the February 2011 decision. The dental claim is also being remanded for additional VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the failure to appear for a scheduled hearing and no specific error of fact or law was alleged.

The Veteran's service connection claim for migraine headaches is granted as the Board finds that his migraines are related to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional VA examinations to evaluate the service-connected chondromalacia patellae of the right knee and migraine headaches, as well as to determine whether he has any residuals of traumatic brain injury. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at 30 percent since January 31, 2013. His low back disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling but the Board denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam, including his presence on the landmass of Vietnam. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for service connection under the presumption of herbicide exposure.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and headaches are not addressed as they were remanded by the Board.

The Veteran's headaches were not found to be incurred in or aggravated by active military service. They are considered part and parcel of his already service-connected sinusitis with headaches, and thus secondary to that condition.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder and insomnia resulted in occupational and social deficiencies, warranting a 70 percent rating. His bilateral hearing loss is not compensable. The Veteran was granted service connection for his headache disability and right ankle disability but denied service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, including headaches, COPD and Pickwickian syndrome, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, arthritis of the neck, arthritis of the legs (claimed as knees), arthritis of the back, arthritis of the shoulders, an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic liver disease, and a heart condition. The claims were denied based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and awarded a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches, effective from June 26, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss for VA purposes and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The remaining issues on appeal are addressed below.

The Board found that the appellant's claimed conditions of hypertension, a psychiatric disability, headaches, and memory loss did not have their onset during any period of service or were caused by events in any period of service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a respiratory disorder, chronic pain syndrome, and a headache disorder due to additional development. The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions. His current symptoms are attributed to his own statements.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected benign paroxysmal position vertigo (BPPV). The Board finds that the criteria for service connection for headaches have been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches were not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied her claim for direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic headaches are related to his in-service head injury and were incurred in the line of duty, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's complaints of hair loss, joint and muscle pain in the biceps, diarrhea, and headaches have been found to be due to an undiagnosed illness manifesting during his service in Southwest Asia. As such, these conditions are granted as service connected.