Migraines & headaches decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Board has identified several issues that require further examination and evidence, including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, right shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, low back disabilities, CFS, IBS, and migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for seizure disorder and migraine headaches due to additional development needs.

The Board denied service connection for various musculoskeletal and headache disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of bilateral knee disorder, vertigo, and migraine headaches due to inadequate medical examinations and failure to provide adequate statements of reasons and bases for the denial of the Veteran’s claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for tremors due to new and material evidence. The issues of service connection for arachnoid cysts, lacunar infarctions, TBI residuals, headaches, and tremors are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including those for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, general arthralgia, a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo and dizziness, tinnitus, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The issues are being remanded due to the need for new evidence or further review.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions including muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, coronary artery disease, joint pain, and gastrointestinal issues. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain relevant VA treatment records and provide medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, and she is granted a TDIU rating since November 1, 2012. The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities that prevent her from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for psychiatric disability, headaches, and gastrointestinal disability. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further development related to her degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine, neurological residuals from that condition, tailbone disability, and total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been reopened, but the Board is unable to determine if the new evidence establishes a current disability or relates it to service. The other issues are remanded.

The Veteran's headaches are now rated at 30 percent effective February 1, 2017. Prior to that date, her noncompensable service-connected disabilities (sinusitis and allergic rhinitis) were found to interfere with normal employability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection for major depression and headaches, as well as inadequate evaluations of her radiculopathy and DDD.

The Veteran's reduction of the rating for post-concussion cephalgia (headaches) from 10 percent to 0 percent was not proper, and his rating is restored. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and evaluation in excess of 10 percent for post-concussion cephalgia are remanded.

The Veteran's headaches, which were rated as very frequent and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, are granted a maximum schedular rating of 50% from August 21, 2009 to October 10, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment in a sedentary capacity. The Board denied the claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus, migraines secondary to service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety and PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss are all granted. However, the Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his low back disability, left hip disability, and PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the nature, extent, and frequency of the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of a head injury and facial and mouth scars, as well as his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The right ankle disability was also found not to warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent. The TDIU claim is also denied.

The Veteran's non-VA medical expenses incurred at Baptist Medical Center on February 21, 2015 are granted as the treatment was for a condition that would have been hazardous to his health if delayed and no VA facility with an emergency department was feasibly available.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disability and residuals of a head injury, to include headaches, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to her military service.