Migraines & headaches decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for migraine headaches due to a lack of clear and unmistakable evidence that the condition pre-existed service or was aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's claimed additional migraine headache symptoms, including nausea, insomnia, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and noise and light sensitivity. The Veteran needs a VA examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's headaches and vision loss are not service-connected as they did not begin during his ACDUTRA service or are not related to any disease or injury incurred in service. The right knee disability is also denied.

The Veteran's initial migraine headache syndrome rating is granted at a 50 percent level. The issues of hypertension, left knee disabilities, and TDIU are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and need for further clarification of the Veteran's psychiatric condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's TBI and associated migraine headaches are service-connected, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and restoration of a rating for his service-connected right eye disability, headaches, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, SMC, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include major depressive disorder. The other claims of service connection for a bilateral foot disability, gastrointestinal disability, and migraine headaches have been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle and right knee disabilities are related to service, but his low back disability and headache disability have not been established as being related to service. The claims for these conditions are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disorder, right ankle disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disorder, and right hip disorder due to insufficient evidence or lack of a current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines and low back disability prevented her from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to October 12, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for migraine headaches prior to February 9, 2015 was denied as the evidence did not show migraines with characteristic prostrating attacks.,The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease with IVDS had its disability rating restored from 10% to 20% effective March 8, 2013.

The Veteran's initial request for a higher rating for his migraine headaches was denied prior to November 8, 2019. However, the Veteran received a 30 percent disability rating from that date onwards.,The Board found that the Veteran experienced characteristic prostrating attacks of headache pain once every month after November 8, 2019, which warranted a 30 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as secondary to chronic kidney disease with hypertension and migraine headaches. The case is now before the Board again due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral athlete's foot, right and left foot disabilities, and headaches due to inadequate opinions in the June 2020 VA examination reports. The Veteran must be provided with an addendum opinion addressing his service connection claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches, finding that they are secondary to his service-connected neck and shoulder disabilities.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed. The appeals for sleep apnea, left knee condition, right knee condition, and right hip condition are remanded.

The Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome, right shoulder condition, and migraine headaches were denied service connection. The rating for intervertebral disc syndrome was increased to 20 percent effective September 9, 2020.

The Veteran's service connection claims for IBS, headaches, sinusitis, salmonella residuals, left knee pain, hernia, bilateral arm numbness, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), asthma, and liver cysts are all granted. The Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA service must be confirmed and identified.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a migraine disability, finding that it did not originate in service or until years thereafter and was not otherwise etiologically related to service.