Migraines & headaches decisions — 2019

The Veteran withdrew his claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to a mistake in medication prescribed for cancer treatment at the Puget Sound VA hospital in Seattle, Washington.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a maximum of 50 percent, and the TDIU issue is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for coronary artery disease and migraine headaches, both secondary to service-connected sinusitis.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, TBI residuals with MDD, and cervico-genic headaches are all granted increased ratings. The Veteran is entitled to a 30 percent rating for his cervico-genic headaches.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for migraine headaches, lower back disorder, sleep disorder, and sinus disorder due to new evidence. The claims are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Headaches, finding that the conditions were not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent rating, while his headache disability remains at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including addressing the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and chronic headaches secondary to PTSD, as well as his TDIU claim. The effective date earlier than August 7, 2009 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is also under review.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for higher initial ratings for lumbar strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as the claims for service connection for headache disorder and a left knee disorder. The Veteran did not indicate disagreement with any of the four determinations made in the December 2018 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for migraine headaches is remanded due to the need for an additional VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tension headaches is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, CAD and OSA are remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether this condition is secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether this condition is secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to lack of evidence addressing whether this condition is secondary to his service-connected disabilities or environmental exposure.

The Veteran's chronic headaches have been granted service connection based on continuity of symptomatology since active service.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, has been denied as there is no evidence it was incurred during or within one year after the Veteran's completion of active service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is service connected as it was caused by noise exposure during active service.,The Veteran's cluster headaches, sleep apnea, and gastrointestinal disability are service connected as they began during active service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected migraine headaches, which are rated at 50 percent. The Board finds that the Veteran cannot secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation solely on account of these migraines.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left knee, right heel, and right ankle disabilities, as well as headaches, GERD, and IBS. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is already assigned.,The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for limitation of flexion of the right forearm and cubital tunnel syndrome, right have been remanded due to outstanding treatment records.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a respiratory disorder (pulmonary fibrosis) has been remanded as there is no diagnosis provided in the record.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and left elbow disability have been remanded due to outstanding treatment records.,The Veteran's appeal for an effective date earlier than November 10, 2014, for the assignment of a 40 percent rating for cubital tunnel syndrome, right has been remanded as there are outstanding treatment records.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for migraine headaches have been remanded due to outstanding treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee disability, headaches, cardiac disease, and memory loss due to insufficient information in the record.,The Veteran's DM is being remanded as there was no consideration of his lifestyle and diet during service or exposure to environmental hazards while serving in Southwest Asia.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is being remanded because the examiner did not consider the February 1993 report indicating degenerative joint disease, nor the Veteran’s history of knee pain since service.,The Veteran's headaches are being remanded due to insufficient consideration of his reported history and March 2015 VA treatment record.,The Veteran's CAD is being remanded as there was no consideration of his lifestyle and diet during service or exposure to environmental hazards while serving in the Persian Gulf War.,The Veteran's memory loss is being remanded due to insufficient consideration of his other diagnosed conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, an increased disability evaluation for right-knee disorder, and a higher initial disability evaluation for residuals of mandible fracture.,There is no evidence showing that the Veteran's migraine headaches were incurred in or aggravated by active service. The VA examiners concluded that there was no nexus between the current migraines and service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, tension headaches, and a right shoulder condition due to his withdrawal during the September 2019 hearing.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and need for additional evidence. The claims include lumbar strain, degenerative joint disease of knees, osteoarthritis of shoulders, headaches, and memory loss.