Migraines & headaches decisions — 2024

The Veteran's migraine headaches are not compensable due to less frequent attacks. Service connection for adjustment disorder is granted, with the death of a friend during service being considered as causative.,Service connection for chronic adjustment disorder is granted based on evidence that the death of a friend caused symptoms. No current disability for sleep apnea has been established, and no VA examination was provided to determine this condition.,The Veteran's bilateral shoulder strain, ankle strain, erectile dysfunction, and groin pain are remanded as there were no medical opinions regarding their etiology or nature.,Service connection for left shoulder strain is remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.,Service connection for right shoulder strain is remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.,Service connection for bilateral ankle strain is remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction and groin pain are remanded due to lack of a nexus opinion from the May 2022 VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for service connection for anxiety, headaches, and sleep apnea due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized non-VA medical care provided on December 23, 2020. The care was emergent and delayed treatment would have been hazardous to his health. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were aggravated by this emergency care.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for headaches and hypertension, both as a result of medication prescribed for service-connected disabilities. The Board has dismissed these claims.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at a 50 percent rating, corresponding to the criteria for very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for earlier effective date for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for tension headaches, and increased rating for dermatitis as they were not properly initiated by a recognized representative.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches, finding that his consistent reports of headache symptoms beginning in service and continuing since then are credible. The Board also found no evidence associating the headaches to a non-service-connected condition or any other post-service intercurrent cause.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent effective October 27, 2022. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms approximated very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches and tuberculosis (TB) are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The Board will obtain new VA examinations to assess the severity of these conditions.

The Board has granted a 50% evaluation for the Veteran's tension headaches, finding that his condition manifests with very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. The highest schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 8100 is now assigned.

The Board has found that the VA did not substantially comply with its August 2023 remand directives and thus requires additional development to obtain missing records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to August 24, 2021.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and memory loss due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran is required to provide addendum opinions regarding whether his conditions are related to service, including specific incidents during basic training.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for his service-connected migraine headache condition and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of June 1, 2010 for the Veteran's entitlement to TDIU on an extra-schedular basis based on the evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of that date.

The Veteran's service-connected headache disability prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since February 4, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for headaches, including as secondary to tinnitus. The Veteran's lay statements and service treatment records are considered in rendering a new opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines is granted. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD remains denied, and the case is remanded for further review of neck strain.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and reduction of disability ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal from appeal.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, ocular migraines, neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, bilateral shoulder disability, low back disability, and Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the left knee. The Board found no evidence that these conditions were related to active service.