Migraines & headaches decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of a ganglion cyst removal and headaches, finding that both conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus, low back disability, cervical spine disability, and migraine headaches are all found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, migraine headaches, back disability, arthritis of unspecified joints to include left knee disability, residuals of injury to the left and right toes, IBS, and hypertension have been remanded due to incomplete service records and need further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, migraine headaches, lumbar spine disorder, left-hand fifth finger disorder, and bilateral pterygium, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since February 22, 2016. As his combined rating is at least 80%, he meets the schedular requirement for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for generalized anxiety disorder, hemorrhoids, residuals of a head injury, migraines, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, left hand disability, PTSD, sleep apnea, jaw disability, and chest pain. The remaining issues have been dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the evidence does not support higher ratings for his thoracic disability, coccydynia, right knee chondromalacia patella, right wrist CTS, left wrist CTS, and related fingers. Service connection was also denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and in order to address whether the Veteran is entitled to additional disability ratings for his TBI residuals, including symptoms of memory loss, mildly impaired visual spatial orientation, headaches, vertigo, insomnia, decreased focus and concentration. The rating for migraines associated with TBI was also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 17, 2019.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for reopening of her service connection claims for joint pain and depressive disorder, but has remanded the issue of service connection for COPD due to exposure to burn pits during active duty in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches (also claimed as head injury, concussion) has been granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a back condition (also claimed as low back condition/injury) is remanded.

The Veteran's headaches were granted an initial rating of 30 percent prior to September 6, 2006. From September 6, 2006, to February 5, 2012, the Veteran was awarded a 50 percent rating for his headaches. A rating in excess of 50 percent from February 6, 2012, is denied.

The Veteran's residuals of TBI and associated tension headaches have been granted initial disability ratings, with the rating for residuals of TBI being 40 percent from May 12, 2011 to February 4, 2020.

The Board has denied increased ratings for headaches, herniated discs of the lumbar spine, status-post fracture of right ankle, and scar of right ankle as a matter of law due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The mood disorder claim is remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disorder, cervical spine condition, headaches, and bilateral hip condition. The claims are being remanded due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives regarding scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. Service connection was also established for major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and trauma-related disorder. The Veteran's back disability is now rated at 40 percent from January 24, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment as of March 25, 2015. The Board granted a TDIU rating effective from that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, a Gulf War Syndrome-like disability (including irritable bowel syndrome and headaches), and TDIU due to unemployability. Additional opinions are needed regarding whether her irritable bowel syndrome is related to or aggravated by her psoriasis and whether her headaches are related to her psoriasis or otherwise related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability, finding that his headaches are productive of functional impairment and constitute a disability for VA purposes. The Board also found credible evidence of continuous symptomatology since active service.

The Veteran's headaches associated with TBI are rated at a maximum of 50 percent, and his tinnitus is granted service connection.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and migraine headaches have been granted increased ratings, with the MDD receiving a 70% rating and the migraines receiving a 30% rating.