Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine has not resulted in forward flexion to less than 30 degrees or favorable ankylosis, so a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's migraine headaches have been restored from noncompensable to 50% effective April 23, 2019.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all the issues, including service connection for heart disorder and prostate disorder, as well as evaluations for various injuries and conditions. As a result, these appeals are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for a temporary total rating due to convalescence was also denied, as the surgery did not require at least one month of convalescence. The hypertension claim resulted in a 20% evaluation from February 10, 2006 to April 21, 2018 and a denial for higher ratings thereafter. Migraine headaches were found not to meet criteria for a rating in excess of 30%. TMJ was denied a compensable evaluation. Right and left Achilles tendonitis and right healed metatarsal stress fracture with metatarsalgia were each denied evaluations in excess of 20%. Left knee strain was also denied an evaluation in excess of 10%. Service connection for screw and dental implant, as well as bilateral hearing loss disability, was not reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service. The decision is based on direct causation rather than any presumptive or secondary theory.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches associated with residuals, TBI are granted a 30% rating. The right knee disability is denied as secondary to the left knee meniscal tear.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service head injuries. Additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a new medical opinion, is required.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for migraine headaches and GERD have been granted. The Veteran is now assigned a 30 percent evaluation for migraine headaches prior to June 1, 2015, and a 10 percent evaluation for GERD since February 21, 2020.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes. The left shoulder, right wrist, lumbar spine, and right hand disabilities are remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The gastrointestinal disability is also remanded as it may be related to medication prescribed for other service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's current headaches did not begin in service and are not related to service. The Board denied service connection for a headache disorder.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, low back disorder, and migraine headaches were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or that any such conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's headache disorder (migraines) is related to his service-connected cervical spine condition, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was granted with an effective date of January 4, 2019. This is the earliest possible effective date as it comes after the initial denial in October 2017 and within one year of her resubmitted claim on January 4, 2019.

The Veteran's headaches were rated at 50% from September 19, 2018 to August 5, 2019 and at 30% beginning August 6, 2019. The effective dates for the initial ratings of 30%, 10%, and 20% were granted on July 18, 2017 for chronic heartburn with stomach bloating and diarrhea, asthma, and cervical spine radiculopathy respectively. The Veteran's CFS was restored to a 20% rating effective August 6, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right knee arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, were denied as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating for his painful scar on the left forehead or disfiguring scar on the left forehead, as there is no evidence of more than one scar with instability or pain, or visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features. The Veteran's migraines are not manifested by very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran does not have a current disability of heart disease, high blood pressure, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, GERD, back disability, left carpal tunnel syndrome, or right carpal tunnel syndrome. The evidence does not establish exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent since October 30, 2012.,The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective from the date of claim (October 30, 2012).

The Board has denied service connection for a right elbow condition due to the lack of evidence of current disability.,The Board has remanded cases involving neck condition, headaches, lactose intolerance, thymus gland removal, and digestive issues for additional development.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for residuals of traumatic brain injury prior to April 3, 2009 was denied. From that date onwards, the Veteran's TBI residuals were rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD based on MST and depression have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for insomnia has also been granted.