Migraines & headaches decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's Parkinson's disease, nerve damage, right arm numbness, and headaches are caused or aggravated by his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to February 2, 2001 did not render her unemployable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and the condition did not manifest within one year after separation from active duty. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy, heart disability, and migraine headaches were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for consideration of additional evidence, including VA treatment records and examinations.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested to withdraw his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for tension headaches prior to September 27, 2012; and entitlement to service connection for non-specific dermatitis, claimed as a skin rash; hypertension; insomnia, claimed as sleep deprivation disorder; left ankle osteoarthritis; right ankle osteoarthritis; and erectile dysfunction. The appeal of the issue of an effective date prior than August 20, 2003 for the grant of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were granted, with a 30 percent rating assigned for his service-connected psychiatric disorder effective from September 1, 2016. The headaches are rated at 10 percent prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected sarcoidosis, hypertension, and other conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and right shoulder disability, finding that both conditions are proximately due to or the result of service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at 50 percent since January 29, 2016. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of very frequent prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. For allergic rhinitis, the Board finds no compensable rating is warranted.

The Veteran's sinusitis with headaches has been rated at 30 percent since December 20, 2012. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted prior to this date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a low back disability or entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. The claim is denied.

The Board is remanding the case for a medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder may be causally or etiologically related to his migraine headaches.

The Board found that the Veteran's substantive appeal was not timely filed in response to the April 2009 statement of the case, and thus denied his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The initial compensable evaluation claim was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding VA treatment records. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was denied in September 2010 and not reopened. The evidence received since that decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroparesis with chronic stomach pain (stomach condition) was reopened due to new evidence showing a positive relationship between the condition and sarcoidosis, which is already service-connected. The claim remains denied as there is no direct service connection.

The Veteran's residuals of a concussion with posttraumatic headaches have been rated at 40 percent since October 23, 2008. The rating is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for an increased rating beyond 40 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, a skin disorder, and headaches. The appeal to sever service connection for irritable bowel syndrome was also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, lung disorder, headaches, bilateral knee disorder (arthritis), fatigue, dizziness, and muscle aches. The Board found that these conditions are not etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, as well as his assertions regarding the etiology of his hearing loss and headaches. The case is therefore being remanded.