Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not attributable to service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizophrenia, and chronic pain syndrome, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. Headache disorder and memory loss disorder are also not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for color blindness, traumatic brain injury, and dizziness has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for genital warts has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint and degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine, with right femoral and sciatic nerve radiculopathy status post lumbar fusion and residual scar, as well as his service-connected degenerative disc and degenerative joint disease, cervical spine, with left radiculopathy status post compression fracture C5 and cervical fusion with residual scar, have been granted.,The Veteran's service-connected right knee medial and lateral meniscal tears, anterior cruciate ligament tear, and tricompartmental osteoarthritis has also been granted.,The Veteran's service-connected right heel injury (Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis) has been granted.,The Veteran's service connection for a headache disability secondary to his now service-connected cervical spine disabilities has been granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, sleep disability, left wrist scars, right shoulder disability, skin disability, and headaches. The effective date for the grant of service connection for left wrist scars is set at June 18, 2014.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's current headaches and residuals of a head injury are not related to his service, as no VA examiner provided an adequate opinion on this issue. The case is being remanded for further development including obtaining additional medical records.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that an initial compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's cluster headaches are currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable evaluation is not warranted based on the evidence of record.,The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable evaluation is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for various conditions related to presumed herbicide exposure during service is remanded due to insufficient evidence or further clarification of the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claims of chronic prostatitis and low back pain, and remanded the issues of increased ratings for left knee strain, chest pain, and tension headaches.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are found to be related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has received new and material evidence to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a headache disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression). The appeals are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection and rating for various disabilities, including neck disability, low back disability, right foot disability, residuals of a head laceration, headaches, depression, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU. The Veteran's STRs may be incomplete, and additional searches are needed. A VA examination is required for psychiatric disorders, headaches, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were found to meet the criteria for a combined disability rating greater than 80 percent from July 29, 1997, to August 9, 2001, and greater than 90 percent from August 9, 2001, to June 27, 2002. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to March 13, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including undifferentiated somatoform disorder and anxiety disorder with mood swings, lack of concentration, memory loss and fatigue, have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his physical limitations and mental health issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him prior to October 20, 2009.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, headaches, and prostate disorder. Service connection is granted for all conditions except prostate disorder due to lack of evidence linking it to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence. The effective date for the grant of service connection for a left ankle sprain is denied as there were no prior unadjudicated claims.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not show an increase in disability or a new claim within one year of the initial rating decisions.,The Veteran was granted service connection for his conditions, but the effective dates assigned are based on when he filed his original claims.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical treatment provided on July 6, 2012, at Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is denied because the condition was not an emergency and a VA facility was feasibly available.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD have been granted. The appeals to reopen the claims for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and headaches are also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the Veteran is currently employed as a maintenance engineer at St. Francis Medical Center, which does not render him unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.