Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or within one year of separation. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current chronic headache disability, and his right and left knee disabilities are not related to in-service injuries.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with current cervical, lumbar, and bilateral knee disabilities. However, these conditions were not shown during service or within one year of separation. The Board also found that the Veteran does not have a chronic headache disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability and headaches, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and depression as secondary to service-connected disabilities. Service connection was denied for hypertension, headache disorder, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as headaches secondary to tinnitus. Service connection was granted for pes planus of the left and right feet.,Service connection for a left knee disability is not warranted due to lack of in-service diagnosis or treatment.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling appropriate examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.,The Veteran has multiple issues on appeal that require further examination and review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various disabilities, including cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine with strain status post fusion, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, degenerative joint disease of the right hip, degenerative joint disease of the left hip, left knee arthritis, leg length discrepancy, chronic right ankle sprain with avulsion fracture and Morton’s neuroma, scar, anterior neck, nonlinear surgical scar, right shoulder, surgical scars, right shoulder, tension headaches, right inguinal neuropathy, status post inguinal hernia repair, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with mood disorder, and bruxism with temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Additional examinations are needed to determine the current severity of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of pneumonia, hypertension, left knee surgical scars, migraine headaches, and PTSD have been granted. The Veteran is also remanded for further evaluation on his left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Lyme disease and migraine headaches were granted with an effective date of April 27, 2004, the day following her separation from active duty.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right Achilles tendonitis, a cervical spine disability, a left foot cellulitis, right fourth and fifth toe cellulitis, a sleep disability, and headaches. The evidence did not support current disabilities or establish a link to service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims as there was a full award of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, right upper extremity, and right lower extremity in September 2016. The issues of entitlement to service connection for migraine disorder, seizure disorder, and loss of smell are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were not processed under the Fully Developed Claim (FDC) Program due to administrative reasons.,The Veteran’s gastroenteritis with IBS is assigned a maximum rating of 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal regarding an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD prior to August 20, 2016 is remanded due to the lack of a Statement of the Case. The issue of service connection for headaches is also remanded as additional development is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and she is now entitled to a 10% rating for right knee chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis. The claim for right knee instability has also been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches and heart conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar and cervical spine disorders, as well as separate evaluations for right and left knee instability. The claim for a temporary total rating based on hospitalization in 2010 was also denied. The Veteran's headache disorder was not rated compensably.

The Board has granted service connection for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome due to Persian Gulf War service. The case is remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's acoustic neuroma with migraine headaches and his active duty service in the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to August 28, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have produced total occupational impairment, and the Board has granted TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability has been reopened, but the Board finds that there is not enough evidence to grant service connection at this time.,The Veteran's tinnitus was rated 10% and denied an increased rating. The appeal on this issue is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations, missing documents, and potential new evidence.