Migraines & headaches decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed neck, shoulder, and head disorders are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease for any of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and headaches, finding that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions or objective indications of qualifying chronic disabilities. The earlier effective date claim was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder, irritability, memory loss, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, headaches, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and requests for additional development, including obtaining treatment records. The issue of TDIU is part of the pending appeal.

The Veteran's chronic epistaxis began in service and has been present since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot condition (trench foot) has been reopened. The other issues remain pending and are evaluated on their merits.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to address whether any service-connected disabilities caused or contributed to the Veteran's death from blunt force head trauma, and if so, which ones. The examiner should also consider whether the syncopal episode was part of his service-connected psychogenic headaches and whether Parkinson's disease onset during military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the current severity of his hearing loss and service connection claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected muscle tension headaches, neurological complications of the lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc disease, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, left knee strain, right knee strain, left knee strain with degenerative arthritis, and right knee strain with degenerative arthritis have all been denied. The Veteran is currently receiving the maximum schedular evaluation for his muscle tension headaches.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran sustained an inservice traumatic brain injury and later developed migraine headaches secondary to this injury, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hypertension had its onset and was shown in service. As such, the criteria for entitlement to service connection for hypertension have been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart palpitations and headaches (claimed as sinus headaches) were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability, and the Veteran did not have a diagnosed heart condition or chronic headache disorder during her military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches had their onset in service and are related to her active duty, granting her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and migraine headaches were denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected cervicogenic headaches are currently rated as 0 percent disabling, and his cervical spine strain is rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that neither condition warrants a higher rating based on the current evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed left knee disability, and his service-connected lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings. The Veteran's tinea pedis is rated appropriately, as are his hearing loss and CTS. His acquired psychiatric disorder, right ankle condition, and head injury with headaches and myofascial pain syndrome do not warrant increased ratings. Finally, the Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeals for the issues of increased ratings for traumatic brain injury and bipolar I disorders, and post-concussion headache syndrome.

The Board found that the submitted evidence was either duplicative or cumulative of the evidence already of record and did not provide new and material evidence to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and headaches.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for additional compensation benefits for his spouse was denied as the RO was notified of his marriage to his current wife on July 22, 2010, which is when he submitted a VA Form 21-686c. The earliest effective date that can be assigned is August 1, 2010.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was first manifested during active duty, and the Board finds that service connection is warranted.