Migraines & headaches decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been submitted. The Veteran's claims are now pending again.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated at 20 percent effective May 14, 2013. The neck disc problem (degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine) is rated at 20 percent. Post-traumatic headaches are rated at noncompensable. TBI is rated at noncompensable. Service connection for left knee disorder and left elbow disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been reopened and granted. The Board also remanded several issues related to his low back, migraines, bilateral foot, and right leg disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions and the need for additional evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claims for headaches, a right shoulder injury, and tubulovillous adenoma of the colon. The claims are now remanded for further development including VA examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development regarding his migraine headaches and need for regular aid and attendance.,The Veteran's appeal is also REMANDED to obtain private vision records related to his migraines, and to schedule a VA examination to determine the extent of his service-connected foot disabilities alone as pertinent to his need for the regular aid and attendance of another person. ,The Veteran's appeal is further REMANDED to schedule a VA examination to determine the extent of functional impairment presented by his corns and callosities of the bilateral feet, distinguishing between service-connected and nonservice-connected causes.

The Board has granted service connection for a back condition, but remanded the issue of service connection for headaches due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, sleep apnea, and headache due to inadequate medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted. The 50 percent rating for migraine headaches was confirmed, the 40 percent rating for TMJ was restored to July 16, 2013, and service connection for sinusitis with an effective date earlier than April 30, 2012 was established.

The Board has remanded the claims for shortness of breath, gastropathy and duodenopathy, right knee disability, and headaches due to a pre-decisional error in VA's duty to assist.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for residuals of head trauma, including intracranial hemorrhage; lumbar spine disability as secondary to left ankle disability; and headaches as secondary to service-connected status post injury to left orbital region with sensory impairment of left trigeminal nerve.

The Board has determined that further medical clarification is needed before an informed decision can be made as to whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and headaches are related to his military service. The claims for these conditions are therefore remanded.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at a 50 percent disability rating effective September 20, 2007.,The Veteran is granted TDIU from September 20, 2007 to July 25, 2013 and from June 1, 2018.

The Veteran's breathing problems and sleep apnea are not related to service, as there is no evidence of a chronic respiratory disorder during or after service.,Ulcerative colitis is not related to service. The Veteran had an acute episode in 1983 but no chronic condition was found during or after service.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals concerning the issues of PTSD, right shoulder trapezius strain, migraine headaches, right knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral disc bulge at L5-S1, migraine headaches, and hypothyroidism status post thyroidectomy (GOITER) as there was no evidence of a current disability in accordance with VA regulations. The Veteran did not have a bilateral hearing loss disability or ankylosis for the purposes of rating her lumbosacral disc bulge at L5-S1. Her migraine headaches were rated 30 percent disabling, and her hypothyroidism was rated 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral knee conditions, a right leg condition, and migraines are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations in excess of the current ratings for tinnitus, exercise-induced asthma, migraine headaches, lumbago with L3-L4 disc herniation, and cervical spine, cervicalgia status post fusion C5-C6 with disc bulging and stenosis is remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus remains denied as there are no exceptional circumstances that warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities from July 19, 2011 to November 21, 2018 and after that date. The evidence did not substantiate a reasonable possibility of unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeals.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing both direct service connection and secondary service connection for headaches, including migraine headaches. The Veteran's representative raised a contention that the Veteran's headaches are secondary to his service-connected PTSD.