Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Veteran's petition to reopen her previously denied claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, is granted. The claims for bilateral foot disability, heart murmur, diabetes mellitus type II, and migraine headaches are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the current severity of service-connected labyrinthitis, the nature and etiology of any headache disability, including residuals of a head injury such as traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic headaches, and whether TDIU should be granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.,The Veteran’s migraine and tension headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, reflecting prostrating attacks occurring several times per month.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim for service connection for head injury with headaches and granted it. The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and tinnitus claims were also granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to issues with notification and verification of stressors. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left leg condition, headaches, and PTSD are currently pending.

The Veteran's posttraumatic tension headaches were granted a 10% rating prior to November 19, 2012 and a 30% rating from that date until October 4, 2015. A more than 30% rating is denied.,The claim of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disability is remanded for further adjudication.

Service connection for a depressive disorder is granted.,Previously denied claims for service connection for neck disability, head injury residuals, recurrent headaches, and diabetes mellitus are reopened.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for migraine headaches, a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease, and TDIU. The Veteran's claims are related to his service-connected disabilities.

Bilateral hearing loss and chronic/recurrent right ankle strain are granted as service-connected.,Left knee arthritis, bunion and metatarsalgia of the right foot, bronchitis, and sinusitis are granted as secondary to service-connected right knee disability.,Left foot disability is denied.,Headaches are denied.

The Veteran's claims for stress, asbestos exposure, and psoriasis have been denied. The Veteran has hypertension, gout, obstructive sleep apnea, and headaches that need to be evaluated further.,The Veteran is not entitled to increased evaluations for his service-connected right and left ankle disabilities due to the lack of non-weight-bearing testing in the VA examination report.

The Veteran's migraine headaches were rated at a 30 percent disability rating prior to October 31, 2018. A higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition has been granted. The Board found that new evidence related to the unestablished fact necessary to substantiate this claim, which is the onset and etiology of the claimed condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability and his TDIU claim have both been denied. The Board found that there is no probative evidence of record indicating any in-service event, injury, or disease that would support a finding of service connection for the Veteran’s diagnosed disabilities. Additionally, the Veteran's assertions regarding the onset of his headaches are not credible due to inconsistency with other evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions, including lymphadenopathy, right shoulder disorder, arthritis, right wrist disorder, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine headaches, and tinnitus. The Veteran's period of service is noted to be during a period of INACDUTRA, which does not allow for service connection.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection for dizziness and headaches, secondary to cervical spondylosis.

The Veteran's service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, tension headaches, and low back disability have been granted with effective dates of March 26, 2010. The earlier effective date for TDIU has been remanded.,Service connection for a heart disability and hypertension remains pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability has been granted a 50% initial rating, effective January 1, 2010. He is also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The claims for service connection of the right knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, residuals of an intestinal infection, and headache disorder have been withdrawn due to the grant of benefits.

The Board denied service connection for skin conditions, vision impairment of the left eye, and fainting episodes with headaches claimed as due to ionizing radiation exposure. The Veteran's skin condition was found not to be related to in-service radiation exposure but rather post-service x-ray studies. His other diagnosed conditions were also deemed unrelated to radiation exposure.

The Veteran's appeal regarding effective dates earlier than August 7, 2016 for service connection for various conditions was denied.,The Veteran's appeals regarding initial disability ratings were either not addressed or remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, resulting in the grant of TDIU.