Migraines & headaches decisions — 2021

Service connection for migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and Sjogren’s syndrome is denied.,An earlier effective date of May 31, 2005 for the grant of service connection for back disability is granted. A rating in excess of 20 percent for back disability remains denied.,Ratings in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are denied from August 15, 2016 to February 6, 2020. Ratings of 40 percent, but no higher, are granted beginning February 7, 2020.,Service connection for tinnitus is not granted.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, finding that the Veteran's current tension headaches are proximately due to or the result of her service-connected anxiety disorder.,Service connection was denied for a cervical spine disability and left wrist condition. The case is being remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches prior to August 5, 2020 was denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s disability picture did not more nearly approximate very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The claims for service connection for neurological symptoms (including memory loss and forgetfulness) and head injury were also denied as new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for headaches and back disability due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. The appeals will be reconsidered with new evidence or a VA examination.

The Veteran's sinus headaches were rated at 50 percent effective July 25, 2013. The Board found that the Veteran’s very frequent, completely prostrating, and prolonged headaches are productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of secondary service connection for migraine headaches, which may be related to PTSD or sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient development and lack of in-person examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence, including a statement from his childhood friend and medical literature addressing depression and headache disorders. He also needs to be provided with an in-person examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, hypertension, sleep apnea, and hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his migraine headache disability was denied by the Board. The Veteran's headaches are not manifested by very frequent prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, which is required for a 50% rating under Diagnostic Code 8100.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his service-connected disabilities, including right shoulder-AC separation, right knee strain (recharacterized as total knee replacement), cervical spine disability, lumbosacral strain, left elbow avulsion injury with residuals, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, GERD, malaria residuals, headaches, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for his right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Veteran's service-connected headache disorder prevented him from finding and maintaining substantially gainful employment. However, he has not provided sufficient information to show that he is unable to obtain or maintain such employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting further examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, migraine disability, and right shoulder disability due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again with a focus on whether these conditions are related to his service or a chronic multisymptom illness.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including residuals of a concussion and headaches, do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. Therefore, the TDIU appeal is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic migraines, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service. The Board also found that the Veteran's lay statements were inconsistent and did not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disorder, secondary to his service-connected persistent depressive disorder, was granted. The effective date of the grant of service connection for persistent depressive disorder is set at September 1, 2010.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted a 50% rating from February 27, 2012 to November 13, 2018. The back disability is denied any increased rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of headaches, back condition, and left shoulder condition due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to February 22, 2019. From February 22, 2019, the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.