Migraines & headaches decisions — 2020

The Board has decided that a remand is needed to assess the Veteran's migraine headaches due to insufficient information in the March 2019 Disability Benefits Questionnaire.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for a headache disorder has been granted at 50 percent. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for left and right knee chondromalacia.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for PTSD, migraines, and a left knee disability have been dismissed. The case is remanded for further development regarding the left knee disability.

The Veteran's migraines have worsened since the last VA examination, and a new evaluation is needed to determine their current severity.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent effective October 8, 2015. The rating prior to that date was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current migraine headaches are related to head trauma during basic training, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder), and PTSD is granted. The claims are based on aggravation of pre-existing conditions during military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right and left knee disorders, flat feet, a left shoulder disorder, and migraine headaches. The Veteran needs new VA medical opinions or examinations regarding these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, sleep trouble, and a heart disability due to coronary artery disease. The Veteran's headache disability is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or illness that caused his current condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to traumatic brain injury, thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease, migraine headaches, and left eyebrow scar is granted. The claims for right arm condition, left arm condition, diabetes mellitus, bilateral foot condition, sleep condition, neck condition, and prostate cancer are denied.

The Veteran's petition to reopen service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was granted. Service connection for PTSD was denied.,A rating of 50 percent for chronic headaches was granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional records and an examination to determine if the Veteran's headaches are related to his military service, including exposure to gases and explosions.

The Veteran's service connection for a headache disability is denied as the headaches are considered manifestations of his service-connected sinusitis.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted, with the Board finding that it is at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and incomplete records. The appellant is seeking service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral foot disorder, PTSD, hernia residuals, back disorder, congestive heart failure, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, type II diabetes mellitus, and migraine headaches.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, anxiety (acquired psychiatric disorder), right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, tinnitus, and headache disorder have all been denied. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to active duty service.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, anxiety (acquired psychiatric disorder), right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, tinnitus, and headache disorder are all denied. The evidence does not show current disabilities or a link to active duty service.

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, left knee disability, right foot gout, and right shoulder disability has been granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence.

The Veteran's asthma is rated at 10 percent, and a TDIU is granted for migraine headaches. The request for an extraschedular rating for migraine headaches prior to February 27, 2014 is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining VA examination(s) to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are rated at a 30 percent rating, effective August 17, 2015. The Board found that the Veteran’s headaches most nearly approximate the criteria associated with an initial 30 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from performing the duties of his current employment as a Constituent Services Liaison with Congressman Aguilar’s office. The Board finds that further education is not warranted due to the Veteran's already suitable educational level and because pursuing additional degrees would not help overcome his 100% rating for PTSD.