Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Board has denied service connection for TBI with migraine headaches, but has remanded the issue of bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting evidence regarding its cause.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 50% since June 11, 2018. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects her symptoms and does not warrant an extraschedular evaluation.

The Veteran's headache condition was granted a 30 percent rating effective January 17, 2006. The appeal for an earlier effective date than January 17, 2006 is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of peripheral neuropathy of the upper or lower extremities, nor a right eye disability. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches and variants was granted with an effective date of November 16, 2008. The Board found that the earliest date of entitlement is November 16, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for brain disability, right knee tendonitis and scar, GERD, and migraine headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including muscle/joint pain, upper respiratory disorders, headaches, intestinal problems, skin disabilities, and fatigue, are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic headache disability is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating assignments for various conditions, including gout, a skin condition, left foot osteoarthritis, scars from surgery, hallux valgus, migraine headaches, and sleep apnea. The appeals were either not about service connection or did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied higher initial disability ratings for tension headaches and GERD with IBS, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The left knee strain case was remanded, while the migraine headaches case resulted in a rating decision denying an increase to more than 30 percent. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but remanded all other issues due to lack of evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma should be readjudicated, but has not found new and relevant evidence. The issue of service connection for headaches is being remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was reopened due to new evidence. The claims for left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, fibromyalgia, eye disability (blurred vision), bilateral hearing loss disability, respiratory disability (COPD, lung condition with patch), sleep apnea, prostate disability, tension headaches, and acquired psychiatric disorder were all denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for migraines as due to a service-connected disability, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise and favoring the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of residuals of an anal fissure, residuals of a hernia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), genital herpes, Hepatitis B, hypertension, headaches, right leg disorder, left leg disorder, and vestibular disorder have been dismissed due to his withdrawal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Major Depression, TBI, Posttraumatic Headaches, Right Patellar Tendonitis, Scalp Scar, Left Patellar Tendonitis, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and BPPV have been granted. The headaches disorder claim is secondary to the service-connected conditions.,An effective date of October 8, 2015 has been assigned for all service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been granted at a 10% level effective June 3, 2015. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for right shoulder, low back, left foot, headache, and sciatic nerve disabilities due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.