Migraines & headaches decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected cervical strain, tension headaches, and left upper extremity neuropathy, and determining if any diagnosed psychiatric disorder, sleep impairment disorder, or GERD are related to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for asthma, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety), tension headaches, sleep apnea, a right ankle disability, and bronchitis have been dismissed as the benefits sought on appeal were granted in full.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, back disability, radiculopathy of upper and lower extremities, bilateral shoulder, knee, hip disabilities, and migraines due to insufficient evidence on whether these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and requests for additional records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these issues are addressed.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the service-connected disabilities granted in his December 2015 rating decision. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to verify the dates of active-duty service prior to September 23, 2014.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased rating for tension headaches and service connection for bilateral tremors. The Veteran will need to undergo a VA examination to assess his current level of disability, as well as determine if any tremor condition is related to service or another disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for a headache disorder and has determined that he is entitled to service connection based on evidence showing the onset of headaches coincided with his active duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD, migraine headaches, and GERD have been rated based on their current manifestations. The Veteran is granted a higher evaluation for his PTSD and GERD, but denied an increased rating for his migraine headaches.

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability, left wrist disability, neck disability, and left shoulder disability. Service connection was granted for tinnitus.,Service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions is not supported by evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of headaches is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and analysis.

The Veteran's migraine disability is granted an initial evaluation of 50 percent, effective August 18, 2009.,Service connection for the right elbow condition is denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his TDIU claim is remanded for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his active service. The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left knee injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as he was able to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, even though his service-connected disabilities caused him some functional impairment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA examination and requests for additional information.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected migraines headaches was granted, but the Board found that more evidence is needed to determine if he should receive a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines, including migraine variants and tension headaches, was denied as the evidence did not establish a direct relationship to his service-connected PTSD with MDD.,Claims for increased ratings for scars on both knees were also denied due to lack of evidence showing they meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, as more development is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches as secondary to his service-connected peripheral retinal lattice degeneration with visual floaters and for a compensable disability rating for that condition. The Veteran must undergo a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any headache disability, including whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected peripheral retinal lattice degeneration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for abrasion right leg is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of evidence of a disability during service and post-service. The Veteran has not been provided with an examination related to this issue.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on in-service exposure to noise and the Veteran's report of onset during service.