Migraines & headaches decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches was granted, and her MDD rating was increased to 70 percent effective February 13, 2014. The effective dates for the other claims were denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent for the period prior to August 12, 2022. The appeal continues as a higher rating is not assigned.,The Veteran's PTSD is denied for ratings in excess of 70 percent from August 12, 2022 onward.

The Veteran's TBI is rated at 40 percent from July 17, 2014. The Veteran's migraine headaches are not rated higher than noncompensable.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from November 21, 2014, to February 1, 2016 was denied as she had full-time employment at that time.,The Veteran's TDIU claim from February 1, 2016, to March 23, 2023 was granted due to her service-connected disabilities preventing her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, left ankle, migraines, and left elbow disabilities have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen these claims.,Service connection for hypertension was also denied as the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.

The Veteran's headaches were rated at 30 percent prior to March 10, 2023. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of characteristic prostrating attacks and severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's asthma and migraine headache disability are granted as service-connected.,Service connection for right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

A rating of 10 percent for headaches from October 5, 2017 to January 10, 2022 has been granted.,A rating of 50 percent for headaches as of January 11, 2023 has been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion and missing VA examination records. The Veteran's headaches are being reviewed again with a focus on their potential connection to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a maximum of 50% since April 17, 2018, based on very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran is also granted entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities rendering him unable to work in any substantially gainful capacity.

The Veteran's claims have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to substantiate his service connection claims due to potential exposure to burn pits during service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to new legislation and incomplete service records, including potential active duty service in Afghanistan.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating increase for service-connected headaches was denied.,The Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the 30 percent rating for his headaches was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical opinions and missed examinations. The AOJ is required to obtain updated treatment records, provide medical opinions regarding the etiology of diabetes, OSA, right knee condition, and headaches, and reschedule the Veteran for a headache examination.

The Board has denied an increased rating for tension headaches and dismissed the service connection claim for costochondritis. The TDIU claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is already at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's headaches are rated at 30 percent, which is the highest possible under DC 8100. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his attacks do not qualify as very frequent and prostrating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for insomnia disorder and migraine headaches, both secondary to his service-connected major depression and anxiety and sleep apnea respectively, have been granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral eye disability, impairment of balance, bilateral hand disability (claimed as hand tremors), speech disability, and memory loss.

The Veteran's migraines are found to be related to his service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.,Service connection for the spine disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that began during or was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted service connection as they were shown to be related to her in-service motorcycle accident. The Veteran's pre-cancer of the cervix is remanded for a VA examination and opinion regarding its relationship to exposure at Camp Lejeune. Her stroke and seizures are also remanded for a VA examination and opinion regarding their relationship to exposure at Camp Lejeune, as well as whether they are related to her service-connected TBI.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral tinea pedis, cervical spine condition, hypertension, headaches, hemorrhoids, OSA, sciatica of the right and left lower extremities. The Veteran's claims were remanded but not fully resolved.