Migraines & headaches decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, dental disability, vision disability, headaches, low back disability, and neurological disability due to failure to report for VA examinations. The issues are being remanded for further examination and medical opinions.

The case is remanded due to the inability to schedule a VA examination and the need for an appropriate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's headaches, their etiology, and whether they are related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including service connection and increased rating issues. The Veteran's hypertension, headaches, sinus disorder, bronchitis, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent, the maximum available rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for migraine headaches and entitlement to TDIU due to inadequate VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's urticarial vasculitis, migraine headaches, and hiatal hernia/GERD have been granted increased ratings. The Veteran also received special monthly compensation (SMC) under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of migraine headaches is related to his active service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for further review by the RO, including consideration of a May 2020 statement requesting that the TDIU issue be adjudicated as part and parcel of the claims for increased ratings for sinusitis and rhinitis under the AMA system.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been shown to preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. Therefore, the claim for a TDIU is denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for migraine headaches, but the increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete records and need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability and headaches were denied service connection. The left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain ratings were granted, but the left knee flexion limitation and instability were denied.

The claims of service connection for various conditions, including TBI, seizure disorder, lower back disability, and others are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining vocational rehabilitation records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's migraine headaches. The TDIU claim is also being recharacterized based on the periods when only an extraschedular rating is available.

The Board has remanded the DIC claim due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's cause of death and if so, which ones. The appellant asserts that TBI, PTSD, prostate cancer, and scalp scars may have aggravated hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional VA examinations and addendum opinions. The Veteran's spine disability, chronic headaches, and right-hand ring finger fracture are being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic headaches were granted a 30% disability rating for the period from October 20, 2010 to July 31, 2017.

The Veteran's lower back disability was granted a 10% rating prior to January 23, 2019 and denied for any higher ratings. The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches were granted a 10% rating from the onset of his claim.,For the period from January 23, 2019 to present, the Veteran's lower back disability was denied any increased rating above 10%. His posttraumatic headaches were also denied any increased rating above 10%.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection and rating for various conditions, including chest pain, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disorder, upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, right shoulder disorder, acne, facial scars, flatfoot, hypertension, memory loss, bipolar disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including panic disorder with agoraphobia and depressive disorder), and migraines. The remand requires obtaining relevant VA treatment records, conducting additional examinations to determine the etiology of diagnosed conditions, and scheduling a new examination for migraines.

The Veteran's service connection for headaches is denied as the preexisting condition was not aggravated by service.,Service connection for PTSD is also denied, with a rating in excess of 30 percent being denied due to lack of aggravation and no evidence supporting an increase in severity during service.