Migraines & headaches decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for emphysema, headache condition, bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee strain, and right knee strain due to an improper filing of a Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected posttraumatic cluster headaches and unexplainable headaches is remanded due to the need for a current examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his depressive disorder and hypertension with renal kidney cancer, have led to a combined rating of 80 percent. However, the Board found insufficient evidence to support a TDIU due to the Veteran's failure to cooperate in providing necessary information.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete VA examinations and other procedural issues. The Veteran is advised that she should be rescheduled for the required VA examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection on a presumptive basis due to his service in Thailand. The other issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence received after the October 2018 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates on all issues related to service connection due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, vertigo, GERD, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inconsistencies in previous opinions and lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hand disabilities due to a lack of current diagnoses. The headaches issue is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including headaches, cervical spine disability, sleep apnea, right hip disability, left hip disability, and muscle pain. The claims are being returned to VA for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to December 1, 2014. The issue of TDIU is denied as the evidence does not show that his disabilities preclude him from securing and maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tension headaches are at least as likely as not due to his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claims for migraine headaches and Arachnoid Cyst.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for migraines and uterine fibroids due to outstanding medical records and a need for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating increases due to outstanding VA treatment records. Additional non-VA records from July 2017 to July 2020 are needed, including those associated with COPD treatment in an emergency facility.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches, and various musculoskeletal conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from October 20, 2011, to February 1, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected migraine headaches has been granted. The case is remanded due to inadequate VA examination and the need to further develop the Veteran's service treatment records regarding his obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete examination reports and a need for updated neuropsychological testing. The Veteran is required to provide additional relevant treatment records, and new VA examinations are needed to assess his TBI and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 30 percent disabling since April 6, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Veteran is granted an initial rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches, the highest schedular rating available. The decision finds that his symptoms cause severe economic inadaptability and more nearly approximates the criteria for a 50 percent rating.