Migraines & headaches decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, headache condition, and heart disability due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's lay statements regarding symptoms from his disabilities are considered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic migraine headaches are related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and diabetes mellitus, type II as secondary to headaches. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible reports of in-service head injuries leading to his current headache disability, and a VA examiner's opinion that the diabetes mellitus, type II, was due to an adverse reaction to treatment for his service-connected headaches.

The Veteran is granted a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective from May 10, 2011. The issue of special monthly pension (SMP) benefits is dismissed as moot due to the greater benefit provided by TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for asthma has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The Board has remanded several other issues related to various disorders, including headaches, bilateral eye disorder, chronic sinusitis, skin disorder, neck disorder, upper back muscular disorder, left elbow disorder, left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, left hand disorder, right hand disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, left leg shin splints, right leg shin splints, and left foot disorder. The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left knee patellar chondromalacia, and right knee patellar chondromalacia have also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's headache disability is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected Meniere's disease and chronic serious otitis media, left ear.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of astigmatism and presbyopia are refractive errors and not disabilities for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral pterygium, bilateral nuclear sclerosis cataract, and bilateral arcus senilis were not demonstrated in or related to an in-service occurrence nor caused or aggravated by service-connected migraines and/or hypertension.

The Veteran's hypertension, eye disability, recurrent sinus disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, and left facial injury residuals with chronic headaches and facial numbness are all remanded for further examination and opinion.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence received since his last Statement of the Case in August 2018. The AOJ is instructed to consider this additional evidence and readjudicate the issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since August 8, 2016.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for cervicogenic headaches and TDIU are remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of migraine headaches, right shoulder disability, and PTSD are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The AOJ will review this evidence and issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen their previously denied claims for service connection for hypertension, headaches, chest pain, and tinnitus. The appeals are now remanded for further development.

The Board has denied an increased rating for posttraumatic migraine headaches prior to November 3, 2014 and remanded the issues of TDIU from December 24, 2014 to July 27, 2016 due to insufficient reasons provided in the original decision.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at the maximum schedular level of 50 percent since November 7, 2021. The Board found that his migraines meet the criteria for a 50 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8100 due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, GERD, IBS, allergic rhinitis, and headaches have been granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches and bilateral knee disabilities are worsening, potentially affecting her ability to work. The Board has ordered additional examinations and a new opinion from the Director of Compensation Services regarding whether she qualifies for TDIU due to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation, including a specialized examination to determine if the Veteran's Parkinson's disease is related to toxic exposure during service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as he does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU and referral for extraschedular consideration is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for stomach ulcers, reflux esophagitis, migraine headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence added by VA.