Migraines & headaches decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for service connection regarding sinusitis was dismissed. The Board found the Veteran's claims for skin conditions and tension headaches related to service were remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are productive of characteristic prostrating attacks, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, high blood pressure, back disability, hand and foot degenerative arthritis, pes planus, migraine disability, and concussion disability, were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of these conditions or evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. A reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable because of his service-connected disabilities is not substantiated.

The Veteran's migraine headaches and hypertension are found to be secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran meets the schedular requirements and is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asthma, IBS, CFS, heart condition, and headaches due to inadequate VA opinions and a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to burn pits during service.

The Veteran's migraine disorder is granted as secondary to her service-connected PTSD with MDD.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is granted as secondary to her service-connected PTSD with MDD.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, depression, dizziness, light sensitivity, liver disorder, gynecological cyst, bladder disorder, headaches, allergies, hypothyroidism, cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left winged scapula, left shoulder disorder, right winged scapula, right shoulder disorder, left knee strain, right knee strain, and left ankle sprain were all denied as there was no evidence of a service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines were rated at 30 percent, but the Board found that they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to their frequency and severity.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a skin disorder, and migraines. The claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM), peripheral neuropathy of right lower extremity (RLE), and peripheral neuropathy of left lower extremity (LLE) are REMANDED.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at a 10 percent initial rating, granted.,Service connection for TBI is granted. The Veteran had a TBI in service and continues to experience symptoms.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of migraines, and the Board has dismissed this issue.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for tension headaches has been remanded. The Board requested additional evidence and an examination to assess the severity of his migraines.,The earlier effective date claim for service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury is dismissed as the Veteran did not perfect his appeal within the required timeframe.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various neurological and headache disabilities, as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease or hypertension. The VA is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions addressing causation and aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD. The cases of OSA and headaches are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a bilateral lung disability, hypertension, migraine headaches, and a psychiatric disability due to outstanding medical records from Dixon Correctional Facility.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,There is no current diagnosis of sleep apnea, and the Veteran's claimed sleep problems are not service-connected. The Veteran's sleep impairment is already compensated for under his major depressive disorder rating.,The Veteran's headaches are granted as service-connected.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain and assigned a 10% disability rating effective from April 23, 2021. The TDIU was granted effective from May 9, 2022, based on the Veteran's PTSD and other disabilities independently rated at least 60%. SMC at the statutory housebound rate was granted effective from May 9, 2022.

The Veteran's headaches are not rated higher than zero percent due to the lack of characteristic prostrating attacks.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is not rated higher than 20 percent as it does not meet the criteria for ankylosis or forward flexion limited to 30 degrees.