Migraines & headaches decisions — 2022

The Board has granted the readjudication of the claim for service connection for headaches, and has remanded the claims for service connection for a nasal condition and tinnitus.

The Board has denied service connection for cirrhosis of the liver and remanded the issue of service connection for migraine headaches due to a lack of probative evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his migraine headache disability is remanded due to the failure to reschedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disability, arthritis, bilateral eye condition, headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder, and tremors are denied. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, vertigo, headaches, and erectile dysfunction (due to herbicide agent exposure) based on the Veteran's credible statements regarding his in-service noise exposure and symptoms.

The appeal on the issue of service connection for seizures has been withdrawn. The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence showing onset or continuity of symptoms within one year after separation from service. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% and not higher.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tension headaches and a right leg injury due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently considered direct service connection cases.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract disorder, headache disability, hypertension, cardiovascular disorder other than hypertension, muscle and joint disorders, upper GI tract disorder, left foot disability with arthritis, bilateral hammertoes, eye disorder, surgical scars, and sleep apnea.

The Board has decided that service connection for headaches and a right knee condition is denied. The case will be remanded to obtain additional evidence.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for headaches prior to April 29, 2022, and a higher than 30 percent rating from that date. The Veteran's headaches were found not to meet the criteria for very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's PTSD, posttraumatic headaches, chronic cervical strain, and chronic lumbar strain with early degenerative disc disease were granted service connection effective July 20, 2010. The TBI was granted as part of the PTSD award on November 16, 2010, and a separate rating of 10% for TBI was awarded effective May 16, 2017.,An earlier effective date claim for all conditions except TBI is denied due to finality.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Veteran testified about head injuries during service and ongoing symptoms since then. A new VA examination is needed for an opinion on whether these symptoms are related to his in-service TBI.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development and requests an addendum opinion on whether the Veteran's headache disability is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 50 percent from February 1, 2019. The TBI residuals are not rated higher than 10 percent. The Veteran is granted total disability based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease were granted service connection. The headache disorder was denied as not incurred in or caused by service. Memory loss was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for joint pain was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim during a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.,The request to reopen the claim for service connection for skin disability was denied because new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,The request to reopen the claim for service connection for back disability was granted as new and material evidence raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA but remanded the issue of service connection for sinus headaches/chronic headaches due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's headaches were granted service connection as they had their clinical onset during service. The Board found the Veteran competent to identify the presence of headaches and resolved doubt in his favor, finding that service connection for headaches is warranted.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and further development is required. The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 remains pending.