Migraines & headaches decisions — 2017

The Board is remanding the Veteran's claims due to incomplete service records and requests for additional evidence. The claims will be reconsidered after all available records are obtained.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's migraine headaches and considering an extraschedular rating for her left ring finger fracture.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the previous examination and need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a new TBI examination by an appropriate specialist.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The issues of service connection for nephropathy and a headache disability were not decided as the appeal is now moot.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines and left knee disability did not result in unemployability, as he was able to maintain a bookkeeping business for 33 years.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 50% since September 30, 2014. The Board finds that the Veteran's migraines more nearly approximate the criteria for a 50 percent rating for very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claimed headaches and memory loss are not shown to have been incurred in service, manifested within one year of service, or causally related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disorders, headaches, cervical spine disorders, lumbar spine disorders, acquired psychiatric/mental disorders (including PTSD, depression, anxiety), and sleep disorders. The Board found no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent, and his GERD has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 30 percent. The right knee chondromalacia issue was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to appeal, and TDIU remains in appellate status.

The Veteran's claims for joint pain and swelling of the elbows, headaches, dizziness, vision problems, and sleep problems and fatigue are denied as there is no current disability found to be related to service or Gulf War Syndrome.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and denied service connection for flat feet. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine disability is also granted.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the initial rating for erectile dysfunction and a higher rating for tension headaches prior to May 5, 2016, is dismissed as his representative withdrew the appeal.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for IVDS with thoracolumbar strain, effective from the date of the decision. The Veteran's service connection claims for migraine headaches and cervical spine disability have been denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection of lumbar strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, right ankle disability, and migraines is October 5, 1990.,No specific rating or effective date was assigned in this decision.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are each rated at 20 percent since March 21, 2005.,The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 30 percent since March 21, 2005.

The Veteran's headaches, which have been rated at 30 percent prior to October 13, 2011, are now rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected photophobia, and he is granted a 50 percent disability rating for photophobia with residual headaches.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.