Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Veteran's headaches are granted service connection and rated as 10% disabling.,The Veteran's tinnitus is denied a rating in excess of 10 percent on an extraschedular basis.,The effective date for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is set at November 26, 2014.,The effective date for tinnitus is also set at November 26, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of PTSD, as well as the TDIU claim due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The appeals are now pending again.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, sinus disability, and headache disability due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Veteran must be provided with adequate VA opinions regarding the etiology of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are granted. The claim for headaches is also granted as secondary to service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's migraines and bilateral foot disorder have been granted service connection, with a rating of 30 percent. The effective date is not specified as the claims were reopened based on new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for migraine headaches was received on April 7, 2014, more than one year following his separation from active service. The effective date is fixed in accordance with the facts found but shall not be earlier than the date of receipt of application therefore.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected migraine headaches is denied as there are no documented prostrating attacks of headache pain.

The Veteran's headaches and hypertension are granted as secondary to his service-connected other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder (OTSRD). The rating for OTSRD is set at 50 percent.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for undiagnosed illness manifested by memory loss and headaches, as well as secondary service connection for speech disorder and dental condition for compensation purposes. The claims were remanded for further development.

The appeal as to PTSD is dismissed. Service connection for dry eye syndrome, secondary to service-connected bilateral pinguecula, is granted. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a left eye corneal scar is remanded. The claim of entitlement to service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is remanded. The claim of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for residuals of cholecystectomy is remanded. The claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension is remanded. The claim of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded. The claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his migraine headaches has been granted, with a 30 percent rating effective from July 2012. The Board found that the Veteran experienced characteristic prostrating attacks occurring at least once per month.

The Board has decided to remand several claims related to the Veteran's exposure to mustard gas, herbicide agents, and/or other chemicals and/or toxins. The claims for prostate cancer, respiratory disorder (COPD), sleep apnea, hypertension, sinusitis, nerve condition, and headaches are being reviewed due to possible exposure during service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and headaches are granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. The Veteran is also granted increased ratings for his left knee meniscal degeneration, left foot sprain, and acquired psychological disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ureterolithiasis, right shin splints, hypertension, renal cyst, thoracolumbar strain/sprain with scoliosis, chondromalacia patella, status post right knee ACL surgery, and headache syndrome were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10 percent rating for his hypertension starting from August 2, 2018.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records review. The issues of increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for headache disability, and neurological disability (to include Parkinson's disease) are being returned to the Board.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service treatment records are incomplete and his military personnel records are illegible. The claims for service connection of various disabilities, including left eye disability, right eye disability, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, personality disorder, and dental condition, are remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's headache disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted service connection.,Effective dates for the awards of service connection are not specified in this decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic respiratory disorder, migraine headache disorder, right foot disorder, and left foot disorder due to unresolved issues. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for left shoulder condition, neck condition, residuals of facial trauma, skin condition (cold sores), and a dental condition for outpatient treatment purposes. The effective dates for these claims are not addressed in this decision.