Migraines & headaches decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a low back disability was dismissed as moot due to the full grant of benefits in his July 2020 rating decision, which included service connection for migraine headaches, TBI, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of prostate cancer is granted.,Service connection for hypertension as due to exposure to herbicide agents is remanded. The AOJ should verify the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents and provide a VA examination if necessary.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches is remanded. A VA examination is needed to determine whether his current migraines are related to military service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. The AOJ should obtain updated VA treatment records and afford the Veteran a VA examination if necessary.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, presumed to be skin cancer, due to exposure to herbicide agents is remanded. The AOJ should verify his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and provide a VA examination if necessary.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, presumed to be PTSD, is remanded. The AOJ should obtain the Veteran's SSA records and afford him a VA examination.

The Veteran's current diagnosed migraine headaches are etiologically related to her active military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for headaches, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, nerve disability, and acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The AOJ must review all new evidence added to the file since the January 2021 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The claims for SMC, increased rating for idiopathic partial simple seizure disorder, and service connection for hypertension, low back disorder, and a bilateral eye disorder are dismissed.,A TDIU due to the service-connected seizure disorder is granted.

The Veteran's initial rating for supraventricular arrhythmia is denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated noncompensable, and no increased rating is granted due to lack of documented blood pressure readings at or above the required thresholds.,A 50 percent initial rating is granted for migraines based on their frequency and severity impacting work capacity.,Right shoulder strain remains rated as noncompensable. The VA examiner's examination was deemed inadequate, particularly regarding the assessment of flare-ups.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus. The mood disorder claim was previously denied and is no longer before the Board.

The Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthritis is granted as secondary to their service-connected left foot hallux valgus.,Service connection for a back disorder is denied.,Service connection for migraines is denied.,Service connection for a bilateral elbow disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraines, including migraine variants, associated with residuals of a brain tumor are denied. The RO has assigned separate disability ratings based on different time periods.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for hypothyroidism with hypokalemia has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and headaches to include as due to cervical strain is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for mitochondrial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), arachnoiditis, enhanced brain meninges, and Horner's Syndrome, cognitive maladies, vertigo, chronic headache disability, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal (GI) problems, and tinnitus due to service connection issues. The remand requires additional medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's entitlement to a uniform 30 percent migraine headache rating for the entire period on appeal is granted. The Board finds that her migraines have more closely approximated characteristic prostrating attacks occurring at least once per month since 2013, meeting the criteria for a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of colitis, migraines, and a neck disability.

The Veteran's post-traumatic migraine headaches and dizziness are currently rated at the maximum schedular evaluation of 50 percent.,The Veteran's residuals of a nondisplaced left elbow olecranon fracture have been rated at 10 percent based on painful motion resulting in limitation of flexion to 140 degrees.

The Veteran's current neck disorder, diagnosed as chronic cervical strain with degenerative changes, is related to his military service. Service connection for this condition is granted.,There is no evidence that the Veteran's TBI and headache disorder are causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and CUE related to his cervical spine degenerative disc disease and migraine headache have been remanded due to the need for further review of the evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disorders, including PTSD, IBS, migraines, left knee disorder, and bilateral fibrocystic breast disease, have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 7, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pes planus and headaches. The decision found that there was no new and relevant evidence to warrant readjudicating the claim for pes planus, as well as insufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship between the Veteran's current headaches (migraines) and his service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining service treatment records and medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of his claimed conditions.