Migraines & headaches decisions — 2024

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, sleep disorder, headaches, lumbar spine condition, sciatica, and sinus condition. The evidence did not establish an in-service occurrence or a nexus to service for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and therefore his claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for migraines, sleep apnea, and allergic rhinitis have been granted. Additionally, the Veteran's 10% rating for allergic rhinitis has been restored.

The Veteran's mental health condition and headaches were rated at 30 percent from December 14, 2020 to May 4, 2021. The Veteran is denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for these conditions.,The Veteran's low back condition was rated at 10 percent effective April 23, 2021 and the Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's migraine headaches as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of headaches, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's service connection for allergic rhinitis is granted due to presumed exposure in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. The claim for migraine headaches is remanded as a VA medical opinion is needed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of March 17, 2021, for the grant of a 30 percent rating for migraines is granted. The Board found that the evidence as of March 17, 2021, was consistent with the January 28, 2022, VA examination which led to the increased rating.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected headache disability is remanded due to the inadequacy of the March 2021 VA examination. The AOJ must obtain an adequate VA examination that addresses the severity, manifestations, and functional impact of the Veteran's headaches.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back muscle condition, migraines as secondary to the acquired psychiatric disorder, and tinnitus. The evidence did not support these claims.,There is no credible evidence of current disabilities or events in-service that could be associated with any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for migraine headaches prior to February 27, 2019 is denied as there was no evidence of characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headache disability is etiologically related to active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not shown as chronic in service or within a presumptive period, did not manifest to a compensable degree within a presumptive period, and were not noted in service with attributable continuity of symptomatology.,The Veteran has been denied service connection for fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, sleep apnea, and TDIU prior to March 16, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic sinus disorder and headaches, finding that there was no current diagnosis of these conditions at the time of the claim or during the pendency of the appeal. The Veteran's in-service complaints were not shown to be chronic, and her current diagnoses are not linked to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and tinnitus.

The Veteran's tension headaches are currently rated at 0 percent, and the Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate VA examination and consider his claim for increased disability rating. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also raised by the record and must be considered in conjunction with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's TDIU and Dependents' Education Assistance eligibility are denied as the evidence does not show he was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to December 11, 2019.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings in three separate conditions: GERD, migraine headaches, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity-sciatic. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, separate from the already service-connected lumbar spine strain, is dismissed. The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted a 50% rating. The Veteran's lumbar spine strain is denied a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examination and duty to assist errors.