Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for service connection for low back pain, enlarged heart, migraine headaches, and pes planus have been granted.

Service connection is granted for degenerative arthritis of the right hip, left hip, and headaches. The Veteran's disability manifested by weakness, fatigability, and irritability is remanded for further examination and opinion. An initial compensable rating for residuals of nonspecific orbital granuloma is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Peyronie's disease, as well as his request for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to August 26, 2016, were both denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of direct service connection and the Veteran was not unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for right hip, left hip, and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities have been denied. The effective date of service connection is fixed at the date of receipt of claim.,The Veteran's sleep apnea and hypertension disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, neurocardio syncope, and migraines have been granted service connection. The claims for neurocardio syncope and migraines were reopened based on new evidence received since the June 2009 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) is denied. The evidence does not support a higher rating as the preponderance of the evidence weighs in favor of finding that the Veteran does not have a level 3 or greater impairment in any facet of TBI, and his headaches are not attributable to his TBI.

The Veteran's service connection claims for weakness, fatigue, headaches, and a respiratory condition are being remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, bronchitis, asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diverticulosis, colon polyps, kidney stones, cysts and lumps, facial acne, headaches, and depression. The remand requires obtaining private medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all the listed issues, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to mercury from dental fillings and its relationship to his current symptoms. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records, including CT scans, and a VA examination will be conducted to determine if there are any residuals of mercury poisoning related to service.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, depression, and lack of sleep) as the evidence did not establish a relationship to service.

The Veteran's TMD, anxiety disorder, and migraine headaches are service-connected. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for shoulder disability and back disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for joint pain, muscle pain, hypertension secondary to PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart condition (claimed as cardiovascular symptoms), and headaches. The reasons include the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, dizziness, and lightheadedness as secondary to his service-connected cardiomyopathy is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines is granted with an effective date of April 12, 2012. The initial rating assigned for migraines is 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for ulcerative colitis and headaches due to additional relevant evidence being associated with the record. The Veteran is also requested to provide updated VA treatment records from the Miami VA Healthcare System.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all conditions and issues except hypertension, PTSD/Depressive Disorder with Memory Loss, sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome, GERD, back disorder, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right and left hand disabilities, diverticulitis, chronic constipation, urinary incontinence, arthritis of the entire body, fibromyalgia/arthralgia, erectile dysfunction, rhinitis, migraine headaches, fungus of the feet, sinusitis, hypercholesterolemia. The Board dismissed these appeals as per the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not result in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, as his helplessness was due to nonservice-connected disabilities such as stroke and brain cancer. Therefore, SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for accrued benefits purposes is denied.

The Veteran's nervous condition or psychiatric disorder also claimed as sleep disorder is remanded.,The Veteran’s ED claim is remanded along with the nervous condition/psychiatric disorder claim, and held in abeyance until that claim is fully developed and addressed by the AOJ.,The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's left shoulder disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's left upper extremity neuropathy is remanded.,The Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a supplemental medical opinion regarding her migraines and overall employability.