Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records, incomplete service personnel records, and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his right knee disability, headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right lower leg disability, but the issues related to his lumbosacral strain, headache disability, right patellar enthesophyte (right knee condition), and increased rating for left knee chondromalacia remain remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, dizziness with headaches, and Meniere’s disease were denied as these conditions are not related to his active duty service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right hip strain and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome have been remanded for further evaluation.,Service connection claims for prolactinoma/pituitary bleeding and headaches are also being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, a skin disorder (claimed as dermatitis), an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression), residuals of pneumonia, and a back disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or post-service treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to November 29, 2013. The Veteran’s headache disability remains at a 50 percent rating throughout the appeal period. A separate rating for tinnitus associated with his headache disability is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine. The neck disability and headaches claims are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU rating are remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives.

The Veteran's hypertension and right breast mass were not incurred in or related to her military service.,Her right ovarian cyst status post laparoscopy was also not incurred in or related to her military service.

The Veteran's headaches, which have been characterized as prostrating attacks occurring at least once a month over the last several months, are granted an initial 30 percent disability evaluation for the rating period prior to June 28, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for traumatic headaches is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has found that the Veteran's cervical spine, headache, and PTSD disabilities are service connected. However, his bilateral upper extremity disability remains unresolved due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder and migraine headaches, have been granted. The effective date for the increased evaluation of intermittent peripheral vestibulopathy is set at January 3, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need to obtain his service treatment records from Afghanistan and provide him with a VA examination regarding his claimed disabilities, including back pain, shortness of breath, fatigue/sleep disorder, chest pain, hypertension, heartburn, low testosterone, skin rashes, migraines/nausea/vertigo, and memory loss. The examiner must consider the Veteran's exposure to burn pits in Afghanistan.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been denied. The appeal to restore the rating for cervical spine DDD has been granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for headaches was denied as there is no evidence of worsening within one year prior to his December 14, 2016 claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions addressing his claimed conditions and their relationship to service, particularly regarding exposure to anthrax shots.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete records. The issues of service connection for left-sided facial nerve paralysis, headaches, and depression are being reviewed again with a focus on obtaining adequate VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for headaches, right knee disability, left knee disability, back condition, sciatica/radiculopathy of right lower extremity, and sciatica/radiculopathy of left lower extremity due to incomplete records and need for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as a result of exposure to herbicides. The effective date is July 7, 2016.,Service connection was denied for neck disorder, low back disorder, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, hernia, thyroid disorder, and headaches.