Migraines & headaches decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches as secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder.

The Veteran's headache, Sjogren's syndrome (including dry eye syndrome), systemic lupus erythematosus, and Raynaud's syndrome disabilities are found to be related to her service exposure. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's headaches are not service-connected, and thus remanded for further examination to determine if there is a link between his in-service exposure to fumes and his current headache condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of erectile dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome as they were granted in a prior rating decision before the issuance of any Board decision.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is granted a 20% rating, effective March 19, 2015. The claims for sleep apnea, hypertension, and migraine headaches are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for chronic migraines, finding that they are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Veteran is granted a 50% disability rating for service-connected headaches, effective April 28, 1999. The claim was continuously pursued since the initial grant of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection of migraines, finding that the evidence did not support such a claim and thus denying it.

The Board denied an increased compensable rating for the Veteran's headaches, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 10% rating under Diagnostic Code 8100 due to lack of characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, migraines, and a left knee disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's active duty service is conceded.

The Board dismissed the appeal for eligibility to direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a February 2024 Rating Decision, as there was no error of fact or law alleged.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss and his migraines.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a 30 percent disability rating, effective May 25, 2021. The Board found that the Veteran experienced migraines with characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month over the last several months, which corresponds to the criteria for a 30 percent rating under DC 8100.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tension headaches, which began in 1998-1999, is related to service exposure to loud noises and a head injury. However, the VA examiner's opinion was deemed inadequate due to lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms. The Board has therefore remanded the case for an addendum opinion addressing all theories of entitlement.

The Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA medical opinion and incomplete work history provided by the AOJ.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of proposed reductions in ratings for major depressive disorder without psychosis, posttraumatic stress disorder, and migraine headaches as they are not final rating actions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 7, 2012, finding that her service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for TDIU during this period.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's headache, shin splints, and pes planus disabilities. The kidney disability and diverticulitis disability have been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board dismissed the appeals of proposed reductions in disability ratings for migraine headaches, gait-swing phase foot right cause foot drop, and lumbar vertebral disc displacement, L5-S1. The Veteran's disability ratings were continued at their current levels.

The Board has granted an initial 30 percent disability rating for the Veteran's post-traumatic migraine headaches, effective March 23, 2021. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.