Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss, tension headaches with migraine variants, and tinnitus has been denied.,Effective dates for service connection of these conditions have also been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for his lower back, cervical spine, acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder), and headaches. The claim for bilateral foot disability has not met the criteria for reopening.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating greater than 10 percent for the residuals of a right facial fracture from August 1, 2003 and for service connection for post-traumatic headaches, right ear hearing loss, and otitis media, right ear. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional evidence for his claim regarding the residuals of a right facial fracture.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including coronary arteriosclerosis, hypertension, depression, headaches, peripheral vascular disease, and neuropathy. The VA will obtain relevant Social Security Administration records and arrange for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's coronary arteriosclerosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, right radial traumatic neuropathy, degenerative changes to thoracolumbar spine (lumbar spine disability), bilateral hearing loss, TBI residuals, and headaches have all been denied. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy in either leg or any other service-connected condition related to the issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new examination to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep apnea, including whether it is related to service or caused by service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected migraines is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a readjudication.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for severe migraines has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted in this regard.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, but denied service connection for ear pain, right leg condition, right arm numbness, concussions, and hypertension. Headaches are presumed to have been incurred during the Veteran's period of active duty training (ACDUTRA) due to a pre-existing condition that was aggravated by in-service loud noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, memory loss, and stomach condition (stomach ulcer). The claims for service connection are currently pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The right knee, back, tinnitus, ingrown toenails, left knee disorder (claimed as left knee disorder), bilateral hearing loss (claimed as bilateral hearing loss), lung disorder (claimed as lung disorder, specifically asbestosis), nasal disorder (claimed as nasal disorder, specifically rhinitis), and headaches have been denied. The Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder has been granted.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for dyssomnia and migraines are granted. Dyssomnia is found to be secondary to her service-connected PTSD, while migraines were incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle, right knee, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and headaches due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities or causal relationship.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sickle cell anemia has been denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or superimposed disease.,The Veteran's claim for higher initial ratings for various disabilities, including blurred vision, hearing loss, and PTSD with memory loss, are remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records. The case will also be referred to the Director of Compensation Services for an initial adjudication on whether an extraschedular TDIU should be granted prior to January 28, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability and headaches are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the appeal as the Veteran did not timely file a substantive appeal within 60 days of receiving the Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches. Service connections for sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disability (depressive disorder, NOS and anxiety) are remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various knee and foot disorders, as well as a headaches disorder. Additional evidence is needed to confirm the Veteran's date of entry into active duty and to obtain any missing service records. A VA examination will also be conducted.