Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's headaches are granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. Claims for PTSD, opacities of both eyes, feet problems, and sleep disorder have been reopened due to new evidence. Service connection for joint pain, sickle cell trait/G-6PD deficiency, bilateral eye disability, and psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a headache disorder and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's headaches may be related to PTSD, while his hypertension is unclear.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to grant a rating in excess of 100 percent for PTSD and denied entitlement to a temporary total evaluation due to treatment requiring convalescence. The issues of service connection for various conditions remain on appeal.

The Board has decided that the reduction of the disability rating for migraine headaches from 30 percent to 0 percent was improper and has ordered a restoration of the original 30 percent rating, effective February 27, 2016. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for migraine headaches and TDIU have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including new medical examinations.

The Veteran's breast cancer is remanded for a supplemental medical opinion to determine if it was caused or aggravated by her service-connected kidney transplant, multivitamins, or hormone replacement therapy.,The Veteran's hysterectomy due to uterine fibroids, menorrhagia and anemia secondary to menorrhagia is remanded for a supplemental medical opinion to determine if it was related to a prolonged period of abnormal uterine bleeding in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty in differentiating symptoms related to TBI from those related to generalized anxiety disorder and/or PTSD. The Veteran will need to undergo further VA examination(s) for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a headache disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, are remanded due to inadequate VA opinions. The Veteran is requested to provide any outstanding private treatment records and the Board will seek addendum opinions on these issues.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his claims for service connection for chronic pain syndrome, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical spine posttraumatic osteoarthritis, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with posttraumatic lumbar osteoarthritis has been withdrawn. The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied.,The Veteran's appeal regarding his claims for service connection for migraines has also been withdrawn. His petition to reopen his claims for cervical spine posttraumatic osteoarthritis and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with posttraumatic lumbar osteoarthritis have been granted, but the issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and migraines remain pending.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia was reduced from a 40 percent to a 20 percent rating, effective October 1, 2016.,The Veteran's muscle tension headaches were granted a 30 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's tuberculosis claim was denied. The rating for hemorrhoids has been granted at a 20% level effective April 29, 2019. Migraine headaches have been granted with a 30% rating. PTSD has been granted with a 50% rating. Other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his cervical radiculopathy and migraines.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, as well as her migraines, are being remanded for additional examinations to determine their current severity.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for migraine headaches was denied, and service connection for surgical neck scars associated with cervical spine DDD was granted but only up to June 30, 2014. The Veteran’s claim for a higher rating for his stellate scar of the occipital area of the scalp is remanded.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's claim of service connection for defective visual acuity. The claims of service connection for a skin disorder, headaches, and low back disorder (degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine) have been reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection is granted for headaches as secondary to sinusitis and for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine as related to service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim for service connection for sinusitis was denied. Her claim of secondary service connection for GERD was granted, and her claim for a headache disability was denied.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD was granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a headache disorder were denied.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral shoulder arthritis, gastrointestinal disability, headaches, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome. The reasons given were that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or relationship to service.

The Veteran's 50% rating for service-connected migraine headaches is granted, as his condition meets the criteria for very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.