Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension as secondary to the service-connected disabilities due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obesity, caused by his service-connected disabilities, was a substantial factor in causing his hypertension.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a 30 percent disability rating, but no higher. The Board found the evidence to be in equipoise as to whether his headaches meet the criteria for a 50 percent rating due to their severity and frequency.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder, lumbar spine, headaches, and hypertension disabilities. The case is remanded to obtain an opinion on whether a right knee bony density is related to the Veteran's service-connected right knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board has determined that the current evidence is insufficient to make a determination on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and headaches are related to his military service, particularly in terms of secondary service connection. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for a back disorder, vision impairment, and initial compensable evaluation for a scar on the anterior side of the trunk associated with prostate cancer. The appeal regarding whether a rating reduction for prostate cancer was proper is also dismissed. The appeal regarding an increased evaluation for headaches, residuals of TBI, and TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's claim of increased evaluation for PTSD is remanded due to worsening symptoms and the need for a new VA examination. The service connection for migraine headaches has been granted, so this issue is not in appellate status.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and a temporary total convalescence period are being remanded due to the need for new examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a residual disability resulting from an in-service traumatic brain injury (TBI), including cognitive or headache disorders, as there is no current evidence of such disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal of the claims for entitlement to service connection for vertigo and headaches has been dismissed due to the withdrawal by the Veteran's attorney.

The Board has granted service connection for a headache disorder and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during active service. Service connection was denied for short-term memory loss as it is considered part of his major depressive disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection were properly filed on November 15, 2011. Effective dates of November 15, 2011 have been granted for all disabilities.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted secondary service connection as they are proximately due to his service-connected cervical spine disability. However, the acquired psychiatric disorder is denied as it does not meet the criteria for direct or secondary service connection.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, prostate condition, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence of current disabilities. The claims are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for fracture of the left zygomatic arch is being remanded due to insufficient opinion from the VA examiner regarding the severity and relationship of the Veteran's symptoms to his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to pending motions regarding clear and unmistakable error in previous decisions denying service connection for migraines.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his back condition and TDIU claim. His initial increased rating in excess of 30 percent for migraines/cluster headaches, service connection for a right knee condition, service connection for a right foot condition, service connection for a left foot condition, and entitlement to service connection for a back condition are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a heart disorder, neck disorder, low back disorder, left hip disorder, left knee disorder, right broken foot, right foot cellulitis, TBI, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's military records indicate he was stationed at Camp LeJeune in 1982, which may be relevant to his heart disorder claim.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 50% rating for migraine headaches from August 23, 2013 is granted. The claim for reopening of service connection for sleep apnea secondary to service-connected TBI with mood disorder, migraine headaches, or medications taken for service-connected conditions is also granted. The Veteran's low back condition claim is remanded.

The Veteran's tension headaches prior to May 18, 2013 were not manifested by characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months. The Veteran’s tension headaches are rated by analogy to Diagnostic Code 8100 for migraines. As the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that the Veteran's tension headache symptoms approximated the criteria for a compensable rating, his claim for a compensable rating prior to May 18, 2013 was denied.

The Board denied service connection for cervical strain, left shoulder strain, left trapezius strain, degenerative disc disease (DDD), lumbar spine, generalized pain disorder, hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), acute sinusitis, and migraine headaches as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.,The Board found that there was no medical evidence showing a direct link between any of these conditions and military service.