Migraines & headaches decisions — 2024

The Veteran's low back disability is granted as service-connected.,An earlier effective date of July 16, 2018, but not earlier, for the grant of service connection for migraine headaches is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and disability ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims prior to the promulgation of a decision by the Board.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for migraines and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The decision is binding only with respect to the specific issues decided.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and migraine headaches due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their relationship to service-connected conditions, and because the Veteran's Gulf War exposure has not been evaluated.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's headaches and her service-connected iron deficiency anemia with folic acid deficiency. The AOJ is required to obtain a new opinion addressing these issues.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his service-connected tension headaches was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to either an earlier effective date or a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches was granted with an effective date of May 17, 2016.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted with an effective date of November 5, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for anxiety, a cervical spine condition, depression, a lumbar spine condition, and migraine headaches due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to consider the Veteran's lay testimony regarding in-service injuries.

The Veteran's chronic headaches, cervical spine disability (neck), left upper extremity radiculopathy and paresthesia, left knee disability, and right knee disability are all found to have onset during service. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic headache disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for a sleep disorder due to potential TERA exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to a duty to assist error and the need to adjudicate secondary service connection for ankle disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to ensure all VA treatment records have been associated with the claims file, and then to adjudicate the secondary service connection claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional examinations. The issues include headaches, cervical spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for headaches due to a lack of contemporaneous medical evidence and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's emergency care for a head injury on November 3, 2017 was related to his service-connected tension headaches and TMJ with myofascial pain. The Board found the claim timely under section 1728 due to the Veteran's 40% combined rating at the time of the episode of care.

Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted.,Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected headaches is denied. The Veteran's headaches are not manifested by very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's pinguecula and thoracolumbar spine disability are granted service connection, while his migraine, right knee disability, cervical spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are granted. The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is denied.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the decision-making process and requires additional examinations to determine if service connection can be granted for various conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not sustain a traumatic brain injury during active service and her migraine headaches are not related to service.,Service connection for both residuals of a traumatic brain injury and migraine headaches is denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has found that service connection for tension headaches is granted. The claim of service connection for a back disability is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding whether it was proper to continue a noncompensable rating for migraines from November 1, 2019. The reduction of the rating for migraines from 50 percent to 30 percent, effective November 1, 2019, was found improper and the Veteran's 50 percent rating is restored.