Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.,There is insufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran had residuals of head injury during or within one year after service, and his reported in-service fall does not appear to have caused any residual issues.

The claim to reopen service connection for various conditions is granted. The claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional evidence and potential VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records. The issues include neurological disorders, heart disorder, hypertension, headaches, and IVDS.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,The appeal concerning service connection for headaches has been dismissed as moot because the benefit sought has already been granted.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to PTSD with depression, is remanded. The examiner should determine if it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused or related to his active duty service and whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with depression.,The Veteran’s claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with depression is remanded. The matter of TDIU (total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability) is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.,The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current headache disorder is related to in-service treatment and if it is aggravated by his service-connected depression with insomnia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to unclear NOD and incomplete records. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining private medical records, determining whether ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA periods affect service connection, and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, a right eye condition characterized by blurred vision, a left nostril condition, and loss of sense of smell all related to the Veteran's time in active service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and headaches are granted as secondary to her service-connected major depressive disorder with PTSD.,A disability rating of 70 percent for major depressive disorder with PTSD is granted, effective from December 30, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for service-connected tension headaches due to TBI is remanded because the VA examiner did not accurately document his complaints concerning the nature and severity of his headaches. The Veteran should be afforded a new VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for recurrent vision disorder to include diplopia and blurred vision, and an initial rating for anemia with migraine headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's headaches, finding that they are related to his in-service myocarditis and have been ongoing since then.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development and lack of representation, requiring additional VA examinations and consideration of all evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for migraines, left shoulder disorder, and folliculitis due to missing VA treatment records from Portsmouth General Hospital. The Veteran will be scheduled for examinations to address his service connection claims.

The Veteran's chronic headaches have been rated at 50 percent, the maximum allowed under VA guidelines. The rating is based on very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that cause severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's initial ratings for headaches prior to July 11, 2003, are denied as the evidence does not show characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that they do not warrant a higher rating as there is no evidence of frequent prostrating attacks or severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's migraine headaches are not service-connected, but his obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for chronic occipital headaches and GERD with duodenal ulcer disease was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disability and headaches due to the need for additional VA treatment records, as well as the need for medical nexus opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

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