Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Board has denied service connection for stroke, back condition, right foot condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, hypertension, and migraine headaches as they are not shown to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disorder, Lyme disease, insomnia, and migraines/headaches due to the need for VA examinations.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for bilateral wrist arthritis. The claims for reopening of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and respiratory condition, as well as service connection for joint pain in left arm, joint pain in right arm, skin symptoms, and headaches are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for hypertension is denied.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,The appeals to reopen claims of service connection for PTSD, residuals of a head injury/traumatic brain injury (TBI), headaches, sleep disorder, liver disorder and dental disorder for treatment purposes are remanded.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 50% from January 1, 2016 forward. Prior to that date, the claim for a compensable rating was denied.

The Veteran's eye disability, headaches as secondary to sinusitis, and maxillary sinusitis are granted service connection. The Veteran is denied service connection for hyposmia due to existing service-connected loss of sense of smell. An initial compensable rating (30%) is granted for maxillary sinusitis from July 26, 2016 onwards. Service connection for PTSD is not granted as the disability does not meet the criteria for a higher than 50% rating.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on March 25, 2015 are granted as the situation constituted an emergency and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and headache condition are granted as service connected. The Board found a medical nexus linking the conditions to his active military service.

The Veteran's headaches and PTSD have been rated as noncompensable (0%) since October 18, 2014. The Board found that the headaches did not meet criteria for a higher rating due to lack of characteristic prostrating attacks. For PTSD, the Board determined that the symptoms were more nearly approximated by occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection claims for various conditions, as well as a claim for an increased rating. The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is being examined to determine if it is related to in-service dental trauma and/or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and OSA, but has remanded the cases of Bell's palsy, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar strain, and PTSD with major depressive episode (PTSD).

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling, effective August 2, 2002, for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including Bell’s Palsy and headaches, as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The VA is instructed to obtain missing records and provide the Veteran with notice regarding these missing records.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for neck disorder, tinnitus, gingivitis, allergies, headache disorder, and chipped tooth. The claims are dismissed.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for sinusitis and granted it. The Veteran's sinusitis with headaches is found to be related to his military service. However, there is no evidence of a separate headache disorder other than those associated with sinusitis.

The application to reopen the claim for service connection for short-term memory loss is dismissed as moot. The Veteran's CFS disability is rated at 40 percent, and his claim for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent is denied. The issue of service connection for migraine headaches is remanded.

The Veteran's migraines are granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and traumatic brain injury. The initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD from August 12, 2010 is also granted.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability, head injury residuals, and migraines. Specifically, VA treatment records are sought, as well as in-service hospital records from Camp Lejeune.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left carpal tunnel syndrome. The cervical spondylosis claim is remanded for an addendum opinion to address whether it is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected low back strain, and if so, whether it also caused or aggravated any other conditions listed in the issues section.

The Veteran is seeking a higher initial disability rating for migraine headaches from March 17, 2011 to January 22, 2016. The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA treatment records and outstanding private treatment records.