Migraines & headaches decisions — 2024

The Board has denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to January 27, 2020 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities not precluding him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for generalized anxiety disorder, headaches, and cervicalgia due to his authorized representative withdrawing the appeal.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for skin rashes, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue and sleep issues have been dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran did not express disagreement with the effective dates or initial ratings assigned in the December 2020 and January 2021 rating decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraines and cervical spine strain, as well as a TDIU prior to January 28, 2016, initial rating of 50 percent for migraines from that date, and a rating in excess of 30 percent for cervical spine strain are all denied.

The Veteran's migraine headache disability was granted an increased rating of 50% effective October 28, 2019. The Board found that the Veteran did not file a VA Form 9 within the required time frame due to her difficulty adjusting to civilian life and understanding the process.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition. The claims of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for back, kidney, headache, left leg numbness, and right leg numbness conditions are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, finding that his current diagnoses of tension and migraine headaches are related to his military service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are presumed to be service-connected due to his in-service exposure to burn pits during his 2008 deployment to Kuwait.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed. He was granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for a dental condition (gum disease), a back condition, and headaches. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran's conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service.,Specifically, there was no credible evidence showing that the Veteran had any of the listed dental conditions recognized for compensation purposes under 38 C.F.R. § 4.150. For the back condition, the Board found no link between current degenerative arthritis and service. And for headaches, the VA examiner concluded they were acute during service with no chronicity post-service.

The Veteran's lung cancer and brain tumor are granted service connection due to exposure to burn pits during his military service.,Service connection for headaches is restored as it was previously severed, with the cause being attributed to radiation therapy from the brain tumor.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by his service-connected major depressive disorder.,The Veteran's tension headaches are caused by his service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, lumbosacral degenerative arthritis and paraspinal muscle strain, cervical strain.

The Board has determined that there was an administrative error in docketing two appeals and dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected tension headaches do not render him bedridden or in need of regular aid and attendance, thus denying special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound status.

The claim for service connection for PTSD is dismissed.,Service connection for left knee arthritis, to include as secondary to a right knee disability, is denied.,The claim for service connection for headaches/migraines is remanded.,The claim for service connection for chronic pelvic pain, to include as secondary to a right knee disability, is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension was denied, and his claim for service connection for headaches as secondary to his service-connected hypertension was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more due to medication control, and there were no records indicating headaches associated with his hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fatigue, joint pain, headaches, and dizziness as due to undiagnosed illness are granted. From May 25, 2017, the Veteran is also granted a 30 percent rating for his right shoulder glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for the 100 percent rating for PTSD, persistent depressive disorder to include TBI, and posttraumatic headaches are denied. The claim for restoration of the 30 percent rating for hypothyroidism is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the submission of additional issues not addressed in previous AOJ decisions. The TERA exposure and development is also required.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining an adequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's migraines and for failing to obtain private treatment records. The claim will be reconsidered with new evidence.