Migraines & headaches decisions — 2021

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% since July 21, 2017. Service connection for HPV and sleep apnea are granted. The remaining issues (neck disability, low back disability, seizures of the left/right side of the body, right ankle disability, migraine headaches, and tremors) remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in determining whether the Veteran's statements of experiencing headaches since service support a claim for service connection. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if his headache disorder is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions, as well as headaches, have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for these conditions.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is remanded to determine the current severity of the condition.

The Board's decision is vacated for the issues of increased ratings and TDIU due to receipt of a timely election to opt into the modernized appeals system.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and headaches due to herbicide exposure, as well as his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 on a substitute basis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the ratings and service connection issues, resulting in their dismissal.

The Veteran's VR&E benefits were initially denied due to his service-connected disabilities not resulting in an employment handicap. However, since the initial decision, he has been granted additional service connection for several conditions and there is evidence suggesting he may have an employment handicap now. The Board finds a remand necessary to conduct a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) to determine if he currently suffers from an employment handicap.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as the evidence is insufficient to determine his employment history and educational background.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service and have denied her claims for service connection.,The appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of the Veteran’s chronic asthma, vertigo, sinusitis, sleep disturbances, and headaches.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the claimed disabilities, particularly whether they are related to a parachute jump accident during inactive duty training in July 1974.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, stomach cramps, and migraine headaches have been denied.,The Veteran was not found to have a current disability related to his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus the claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board granted a rating of 50 percent disabled for migraine headaches prior to December 1, 2016, finding that the Veteran's frequent and severe migraines were productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a recurrent headache disability, increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities, and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The VA is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed headache disability and its relationship to active service, as well as the current severity of his knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and PTSD have been granted. The rating for the lumbar spine disability, TDIU, and SMC are being remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete information about his employment history and the need for updated Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetic retinopathy is granted as a complication of his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Board also grants service connection for insomnia, but denies service connection for sleep apnea, acid reflux, skin disorder, headache disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for headaches due to inadequate opinions and missing records. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again with a new examination.

The Veteran's cluster headaches were granted service connection and initial ratings of 10% from August 5, 2013, and 30% from September 4, 2019. The Board found that the Veteran’s attacks did not necessitate lying down or missing work, but they made him miss work in a manner comparable to prostrating attacks.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of entitlement to a disability in excess for residuals of right knee ACL tear and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for mild hiatal hernia and pyrosis disorder. The Veteran's testimony indicates worsening of his service-connected disabilities, which triggers the need for VA examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.