Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical opinions on the nature and etiology of his hypertension and headaches. The earlier effective date claims are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for right shoulder disability, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar strain, left knee strain, right knee scars, bilateral hearing loss, and adjustment disorder with anxiety. The VA treatment records from December 2014 to the present are requested.

The Board denied service connection for dizziness to include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and chronic headache disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship with service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for headache and respiratory conditions due to incomplete records, including missing service treatment records and personnel records. The Veteran will need to be provided with VA examinations to determine if his current symptoms are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded three issues: chronic tonsillitis, tension headaches, and dizziness (vertigo) to include as secondary to a service-connected disability. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are being referred back to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of missing records. The VA will determine if his conditions are related to his military service, including exposure in Southwest Asia.

The Board has determined that new evidence received since the December 2008 rating decision relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims for service connection of hypothyroidism, allergic rhinitis, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not conditions entitled to presumptive service connection based upon his in-service exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's migraine disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the VA examiner found that a higher rating is warranted. However, this decision was not considered in the most recent statement of the case issued by the RO in Nashville. The claim must be remanded to consider the evidence and issue an appropriate SSOC.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and depressive disorder with insomnia, as well as post-traumatic migraines, are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

Service connection granted for headaches and vertigo, but denied for arthritis of the cervical spine, right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder disability, and chest pain.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all issues, including service connection for intermittent epistaxis, skin disability, headaches, and an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further investigation and clarification of her incarceration status, as well as an audit of her pension account. Additionally, there is a need to ensure proper notification regarding her right to appeal the overpayment of $18,692.07 in pension benefits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a genitourinary disability and for a compensable rating for chronic bronchitis. The lumbar spine disability remains at 10 percent, while migraine headaches remain at 30 percent.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for tension headaches prior to October 5, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal was timely filed, and the Board found that his claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted.

The Board has denied service connection for cold injuries and depression. The claims of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for bilateral flat feet, generalized primary osteoarthritis, knee replacement resulting from bone cancer, hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes, and migraine headaches are remanded due to missing service treatment records.

The Board denied extra-schedular ratings for the Veteran's thoracic and cervical spine disabilities, as well as an initial rating greater than 10 percent for her migraine headaches. The decision found that the existing schedular criteria adequately addressed the severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling an orthopedic examination and addressing issues related to severance of service connection and reduction of rating.

The Veteran's migraines were rated at 30 percent prior to October 6, 2015 and in excess of 30 percent thereafter. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Board has remanded the claims for sinusitis and headaches due to insufficient evidence in the previous VA examinations. A new examination is required that considers the Veteran's history of symptoms since service.