Migraines & headaches decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, including headaches and blurred vision, finding that there was no credible evidence linking these conditions to his in-service head injury.

The Veteran's request to increase the rating for his TBI from 10 percent to a higher level was denied.,The Veteran's other specified trauma and stressor related disorder was rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum allowed under current criteria.,The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50 percent rating, the highest possible under DC 8100.,The request to reopen his service connection claim for right shoulder disorder was granted. The appeal will be remanded for further review of this issue.,The Veteran's appeals regarding his right wrist and right shoulder pain conditions were also remanded by the Board.,The Veteran's TDIU (total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities) claim was granted, with a 50 percent rating assigned.

The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at 30 percent prior to December 13, 2015. The Board found that the frequency and severity of his headaches warranted this rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (migraine headaches, low back strain, and cervical strain) do not preclude her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a head injury, including headaches. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is also granted for insomnia, as it is considered a symptom of her already service-connected bipolar I disorder.,High blood pressure is denied because the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension.,POTS is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,Hypothyroidism and Ehlers Danlos syndrome are also denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for migraine headaches, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the August 1991 rating decision.

The Veteran's headaches are granted as service connected, with the Board finding reasonable doubt in favor of his claim. The lumbar spine disability and shin splints issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's visual impairment is granted as secondary to service-connected migraines.,Service connection for right and left knee flexion, instability, extension, and instability has been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and headaches, as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. Additional medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are caused or aggravated by PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate VA examination and unobtained private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension secondary to PTSD, and migraine headaches secondary to PTSD due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The claims will be addressed again with additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disability, but the other issues on appeal are remanded.

The Veteran's headache disability is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent, which corresponds to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating and has been unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities, including his generalized anxiety disorder with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), back disability, shoulder disability, headache disability, and hemorrhoid disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, headaches, OSA, and polyarthralgia and joint pain. The case is REMANDED to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and likely cause of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for recurrent headaches, respiratory/pulmonary problems, heart condition (coronary artery disease), hypertension, circulatory condition, and skin condition due to insufficient translations of medical records and inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's service connection claims are also remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for traumatic brain injury residuals and migraine headaches. The remaining issues of service connection for lumbosacral spine disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are rated at a non-compensable level, but the Board has granted an initial rating of 30 percent for the appeal period.