Migraines & headaches decisions — 2023

The Board has granted an initial compensable rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's tension headaches, finding that he experiences characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months.

The Board has granted service connection for a migraine headache disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected TMJ disorder, finding that her headaches are caused by her TMJ.

The Board has decided service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the claims of service connection for headaches and erectile dysfunction due to new evidence added after the October 2019 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that further development is needed before a decision can be made on whether she is entitled to service connection for her claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete records and for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connection is established due to in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's TBI, migraine headache disorder, and left foot disability are remanded for further development.

The Board has found that additional development is required to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to ionizing radiation and other factors. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's representative withdrew all pending disability compensation claims and appeals, including those related to various conditions such as posterior fossa tumor ependymoma, left wrist neuropathy, cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, depressive disorder (combined with neurocognitive disorder), light-headedness, dizziness and/or vertigo, headaches, ankle sprains, scars of the head, cognitive disorder, voiding dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy. The appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraines, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is granted effective July 5, 2017. The claims for an increased rating for PTSD and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are remanded.

The Veteran's headaches due to TBI are now rated at 30 percent disabling, effective from December 3, 2019. Prior to this date, the rating was non-compensable.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic headaches and a cervical spine disability are both granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as they do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service. The claim was reopened due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches and right foot conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 23, 2018. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, depression, and headaches, render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity varicose veins and headaches have been granted service connection, while the right ankle condition remains at its current rating of 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions, as well as for further development regarding other issues. The Veteran will also receive a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing all pending claims.

The Veteran's appeal of increased evaluation and earlier effective date for service-connected migraine headaches has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals in November 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for her bilateral knee disabilities and service connection for ulcerative colitis (UC) and migraine headaches due to a lack of updated treatment records, material change in her conditions, and need for addendum opinions regarding the preexistence of her UC.