Migraines & headaches decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for migraine headaches and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are being remanded due to issues with substantial compliance with previous remand instructions, including scheduling of VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral foot toenail fungus and headaches due to lack of probative medical evidence showing the Veteran has these conditions. The issues of service connection for a respiratory disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded as additional development is needed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sarcoidosis, sleep apnea, hypertension, heart disorder, chronic laryngitis, and headaches have been granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for migraine headaches and TDIU are remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a rating of 50 percent for migraines is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, warranting a 50 percent disability rating. Other issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and his tension headaches are currently rated at 10 percent. The case is REMANDED for a VA examination to assess the severity of the right ankle strain.,The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable rating schedule.,The Veteran's service-connected tension headaches do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent, as his attacks are less frequent than once every two months.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the aggravation of his service-connected ulcerative colitis by other conditions. The effective dates and ratings remain pending further review.

An effective date of August 8, 2014 for service connection of post-concussive headaches associated with TBI is granted. A disability rating in excess of 30 percent for post-concussive headaches associated with TBI is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 17, 2017, for TBI with headaches and a rating in excess of 10 percent beginning February 17, 2017, and prior to December 30, 2019, for TBI due to inadequate examinations that did not address the Veteran's contentions regarding syncope.

The Veteran's cluster headaches are currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The Board finds that his exceptional disability picture warrants referral for extraschedular consideration due to daily prostrating and prolonged attacks of head pain.

The Board has reopened several service connection claims but denied some, resulting in a mixed disposition. The Veteran's new evidence relates to the unestablished facts necessary for reopening these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, headaches, and hypertension. The Veteran's OSA is considered directly related to his military service. His headaches are linked to both the in-service symptoms and his current condition. Hypertension is found to be secondary to his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disability, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with lumbosacral strain, and tension headaches as secondary to cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD was granted. Increased ratings were awarded for lumbar strain (40%), bilateral foot degenerative joint disease (10%), and migraine cephalgia (30%). The effective date for the increase to a 10 percent rating for bilateral feet degenerative joint disease is May 25, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral cataracts has been withdrawn. The Board granted a TDIU effective from December 10, 2014 to July 18, 2022.,Effective from July 18, 2022, the Veteran is in receipt of a combined disability rating of 100 percent due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left eye disability and a headache disability due to potential toxic exposure during his military service. The Veteran is also seeking an initial rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD prior to October 22, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic headache and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or relationship to service.,For cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, additional development is needed as there are no current diagnoses provided by the VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the case to consider a claim for service connection of a headache disorder, as this issue was raised by the Veteran's medical records and not previously addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder (other specified trauma stressor related disorder) based on secondary aggravation by the Veteran's service-connected seizure disorder. The claims of service connection for loss of concentration, memory loss, chronic pain syndrome, urinary tract disorder, gastroesophageal disorder, and migraine headaches have been denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of a heart disability and headaches, but has remanded the cases due to outstanding evidence and need for further examination.