Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to inadequate etiological opinions regarding his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for migraine headaches has been denied as the current 50% rating already encompasses his symptoms and disability level.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a head injury with muscle tension headaches was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's headaches do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they have not manifested by characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over the last several months.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraines were not incurred during active duty service, did not result from an injury or event that occurred during service, and were neither caused nor aggravated by hepatitis C or by any medications being taken to treat hepatitis C.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including maxillary sinusitis, headaches, PTSD, fracture of the right zygoma, bilateral hearing loss, and facial sinus injury residuals of the 5th right cranial nerve, precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating under DC 8100.,For his TBI residuals, the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the increased ratings for PTSD, post-traumatic headaches, and cognitive residuals of TBI, as well as the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and service treatment records from the Veteran's period of active duty. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities are also being addressed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fatigue and painful joints, headache disorder, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been denied as these conditions are not related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for myasthenia gravis and migraine headaches, finding that the conditions are related to active service. The Veteran's myasthenia gravis is linked to chloroquine malaria shots received in service, while his migraine headaches began during service and were exacerbated by chloroquine shots.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his headache disability and whether it is related to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for a spine disability, headaches, and hypertension. The Veteran's spine disability is related to his military service, his headaches are aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus, and his hypertension did not manifest during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches due to conflicting evidence and need for a medical opinion.

The Veteran's headaches are aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and the Board finds that this warrants service connection for aggravation of the headaches.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for headaches. However, the Veteran's headaches are not considered to be related to his military service or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension and migraines due to exposure to herbicide agents, as well as their relationship to PTSD. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered with new evidence from VA and private sources.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, hepatitis B, and migraine headaches have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions and whether they are related to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neck disability (arthritis) and residuals of a head injury (post-concussion syndrome and migraine) are related to in-service injuries, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain service department records and other pertinent medical records.