Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder, was granted service connection. Service connection for hypertension and residuals of a cerebral vascular accident were also granted, with the latter being secondary to service-connected hypertension.

Service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for PTSD is granted.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus is dismissed.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for right ear hearing loss is dismissed.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is dismissed.,Service connection for a stomach condition is remanded.,Service connection for headaches, including as secondary to PTSD, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including a new TDIU evaluation. The Veteran's PTSD, TBI, and headaches are all being reviewed for increased ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diagnosed conditions for which service connection can be granted, including shoulder, wrist, lower extremity neuropathy, back, knee, leg, foot, respiratory system, sleep apnea, heart, corns of both feet, headaches and neck conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected ankle, cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, knee, and migraine conditions are being remanded for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Veteran's low back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss are currently rated as 10 percent each. The Board denied increased ratings for these conditions.,Service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraine headaches secondary to TBI, and an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to TBI was not granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and migraine headaches have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the evidence does not support a finding that they are related to service.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection and initial compensable ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis, tension headaches, sinusitis, eczema, dermatitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 23, 2012, for service connection of PTSD. The decision states that a reasonable VA adjudicator would not have found the Veteran raised a claim for a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) before May 23, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of an in-service ruptured right eardrum, hearing loss, and headaches. The Board found that the in-service injury did not cause or aggravate these conditions.

The Veteran's chronic migraine headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis.,His bilateral feet onychomycosis with history of left great toe subungual fungal infection is rated at zero percent due to the lack of affected body or exposed areas.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's headache disability, as well as its relationship to service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding increased ratings for various knee disabilities and service connection claims, including those related to psychiatric disorders, sleep apnea, hand and shoulder conditions, eye disorders, hearing loss, migraine headaches, and knee disorders. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his service-connected left knee disability.,The Veteran's vertigo and migraine headaches are also being remanded for VA examinations to determine their relationship to service.,A new rating decision will be issued after the examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches as symptomatology of an undiagnosed illness due to Gulf War service, with a 10% rating.

The Board has remanded the cases of residuals of a urinary tract infection and headaches for further development due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for PTSD, right shoulder status postoperative labral tear repair, or tension headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the merits is remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations. The dental condition claim was denied, while other claims remain pending.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, so the case is dismissed.