Migraines & headaches decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,Service connection has been established for allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as his chronic fatigue syndrome, dizzy spells/imbalance, irritable colon syndrome, tinea pedis, and migraines have been granted increased ratings. However, service connection for these conditions remains pending due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to February 20, 2018. The Board denied a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and denied service connection for left knee, lumbar spine, migraine headaches, and sleeplessness disabilities. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service complaints and current symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating and earlier effective date for T6 compression fracture with thoracic/lumbar scoliosis is granted. The claim for service connection of migraine headaches, secondary to PTSD and/or T6 compression fracture, as well as aggravation of his migraines by the back condition, is remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for memory loss, peripheral vestibular disorder, and migraines. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability, bilateral hand numbness (now diagnosed as bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome), headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and migraine headaches due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The case will be reviewed with a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to his service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and migraines due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal. The issues of bilateral hand numbness, bilateral feet numbness, and bilateral hand arthritis were remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the January 2016 rating decision was a reconsideration of prior determinations and thus, new and material evidence is not required. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, BPPV, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's headache disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically regarding clarification of the examiner's statement about the Veteran's ability to perform sedentary work despite his headaches.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a headache disability and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his claims by his representative.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and migraines (including hypnic headaches) as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including posttraumatic stress disorder, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for asthma and headaches due to duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the April 2020 rating decision on appeal. The Veteran's asthma is presumed related to his Vietnam service, while his headaches are presumed related to head trauma during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), to include headaches, is being remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 10, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, left upper extremity (claimed as left shoulder) disability, headache disability/migraines, and chronic fatigue syndrome. The Veteran's disabilities were not found to be related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further review due to insufficient reasons and bases provided in the September 2022 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran's attorney argues that the SSOC did not provide adequate discussion of the relevant evidence, allowing the Veteran an opportunity to present arguments before the Board.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for nasal turbinate hypertrophy and migraine headaches, effective before the Board's decision was issued.