Migraines & headaches decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for migraines, acid reflux, lung condition (claimed as lung scarring), joint pain, and tooth deterioration for compensation purposes have all been denied.,There is insufficient evidence to support the Veteran’s claims of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of left-foot burn scar, residuals of left-hand burn scar, and left knee tendonitis. The Veteran's tinnitus and migraine headaches were also not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches was received on March 20, 2015 and granted with an effective date of June 29, 2016. The Board found that the earliest date assignable by law is March 20, 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for a headache disability and Amblyopia due to potential issues with the medical opinions provided. The TBI claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of TBI or its residuals.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have not been evaluated since August 2017, and the Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess the current severity of her condition.

The Veteran's migraine disability and sleep apnea are found to be proximately due to his service-connected sinusitis.,Service connection is granted for a migraine disability, sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, insomnia, rib dislocation disability, postherpetic neuralgia, left shoulder disability, left hand arthritis, right hand arthritis, left hip disability, and right hip disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for cervical spine, right hip, and right knee conditions due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's hypertension, high cholesterol, GERD, headaches, LLE peripheral neuropathy, and RLE peripheral neuropathy are denied as there is no competent indication of a relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied, and the effective date for the current ratings remains April 26, 2016.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and headaches are all granted. The Board found that the Veteran's BHL disability is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher rating for migraine headaches, finding that there was no evidence of migraine headaches prior to March 13, 2018. The Board also found that the Veteran's disability picture did not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for migraine headaches was granted with an effective date of October 10, 2017.,Special monthly compensation based on housebound in fact due to clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the October 2013 rating decision was granted with an effective date of June 27, 2012.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and review due to unclear service dates and potential issues with service connection.

The Veteran's chronic headaches are granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine DDD.,Service connection for residuals of a head injury, including TBI, is denied.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities.,An effective date earlier than August 24, 2016, for the grant of service connection for headaches is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches have been characterized by less frequent characteristic prostrating attacks that have not been shown to occur an average of once in two months, or more frequently. As a result, the Veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for his headache disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for migraines, as it was granted in a prior decision.,For the left upper extremity radiculopathy, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent before August 8, 2019 and 30 percent thereafter. For the right upper extremity radiculopathy, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent throughout the appeal period.,For the left lower extremity radiculopathy, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent before August 8, 2019 and 20 percent thereafter. For the right lower extremity radiculopathy, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent throughout the appeal period.,For the cervical spine disability, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent before August 8, 2019 and 30 percent thereafter. For the lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD), the Veteran is not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disability, right lower extremity chronic muscular strain, left lower extremity chronic muscular strain, right ankle synovitis, left ankle synovitis, right foot plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for any of these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS and a headache disability were also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cholesterolemia, chronic gastritis, and GERD have been denied. The Veteran's claims for service connection for tension headaches, right shoulder disorder, chronic left rib cage pain, chronic chest pain (including tendonitis/costochondritis), right wrist disorder (including carpal tunnel syndrome), left wrist disorder (including carpal tunnel syndrome), left knee disorder (secondary to service-connected disabilities), and left calf disorder (secondary to service-connected disabilities) have been granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia has also been granted, but the Board has remanded it due to a lack of VA examination.