Migraines & headaches decisions — 2021

The Veteran's left shoulder, right shoulder, and right hip disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service.,IBS was not related to service.,Hemorrhoids were not related to service.,TBI was not related to service.,Migraine headaches were not related to service.

The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are rated at a 30 percent rating, effective June 4, 2013. The Board found that the Veteran’s condition meets the criteria for this rating based on characteristic prostrating attacks occurring approximately once per month.

The Board dismissed the appeals because the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right hip disabilities, left ankle arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, and headaches. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and the need for further medical opinions. The Veteran's spouse asserts that he had knee, neurological, and skin conditions related to his service at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence does not establish a current disability or an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and a TDIU, but the nonservice-connected pension claim is remanded due to eligibility concerns.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are shown to have been productive of a disability picture that more nearly approximated that of headaches with very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, warranting a 50 percent rating.

The Veteran's headaches have been granted service connection as they are presumed to have started during active service.,Service connection for the back disability has not been established, with the Board finding that it is less likely than not incurred in or caused by the claimed in-service injury.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for a neck disability, spinal fusion (claimed as low back disorder), and headaches due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay contentions regarding in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the claims due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives and failure to provide VA examinations. The Veteran's service connection claim for major depressive disorder, as well as her rating claims for headaches, radiculopathy of lower extremities, and DDD of back are all being remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's back disability and remanded the claims for a seizure disorder and headache condition. The decision is binding only with respect to the specific matters decided.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims and rating determinations due to an inability to obtain certain medical records from Saints Mary & Elizabeth Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for recurrent sleep disability, recurrent headache disability, and left ear hearing loss due to incomplete records and need for further medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, headaches, and endstage kidney disease has been granted. The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU rating due to his service-connected cone rod dystrophy.,A VA examination will be scheduled to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s service-connected eye disability (cone rod dystrophy). An addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's chronic kidney disease and in-service exposure at Camp Lejeune will also be obtained.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability, hemorrhoids, and an undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, respiratory symptoms, and sleep disturbances due to inadequate rationale in previous VA opinions.,Specifically, the Board found that the VA medical opinions were not adequate as they did not address the Veteran's lay reports of symptom onset and continuity during service.

The Board has denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle strain and has remanded the issue of service connection for headaches, including as secondary to tinnitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left arm pain and limited motion, as well as left leg pain and limitation of motion. The appeal is being remanded to obtain additional personnel records.,Service connection for migraine headaches and memory loss are also being remanded due to incomplete personnel records.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at 30 percent, meeting the criteria for this level of disability. The Veteran's right knee disability remains at 10 percent.