Migraines & headaches decisions — 2024

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for several service-connected conditions, including bilateral dry eye disability, migraine headache disability, left shoulder osteoarthritis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left hip strain, and left hip disability. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal of these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence linking any service-connected condition to his suicide.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder and associated headaches render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's headaches are rated as noncompensable, effective August 10, 2022. The Board found that the Veteran did not experience characteristic prostrating attacks of migraine headache pain at any time during the appeal period.

The Board denied additional attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the January 2023 rating decision for a higher 50 percent rating for migraines. The appellant is not eligible to receive any additional fees as the amount of past-due benefits was calculated using gross amounts, and no offset for disability severance pay was applied.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining private psychiatric treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding service connection for migraine headaches.

The appeal for service connection for migraine headaches is dismissed. The issue of service connection for recurrent vestibular disability to include vertigo is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back disability, a skin disability, migraines, and a respiratory disability (including rhinitis and sinusitis) due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left triscaphe joint osteoarthritis and migraine variants due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's left hand disability is not considered related to service, while his migraines have been rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including major depressive disorder and bilateral plantar fasciitis, have prevented him from securing and following gainful employment since January 5, 2021.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. Service connection was not granted for chronic kidney stones or head lesion with headaches, to include chronic headaches. Increased ratings of 10 percent each were granted for left and right knee instability.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia with anxiety, chronic fatigue, and headaches is now rated at 40 percent, the maximum available rating.

The Veteran's cervicogenic tension headaches result in very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks of headache pain, causing severe economic inadaptability. The Board has granted a maximum 50 percent rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection for migraine headaches, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional medical opinions considering potential exposure to toxic substances during his military service.

The Veteran's reduced rating for migraine headaches from 50 to 30 percent effective March 1, 2021 is void ab initio and the rating at 50 percent is restored.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is rated at a noncompensable (0%) level, but the Board has granted an initial 10% rating effective from September 21, 2016.,The Veteran's IBS is rated at the highest schedular rating of 30%, effective from September 21, 2016. The appeal for service connection for a headache disorder was also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection of tension headaches, finding that no earlier claim was filed within a year of his military discharge and that October 5, 2015, is the earliest available effective date.

The Board has found errors in the duty to assist and remands for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA examinations.