Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension and headaches for further development. For hypertension, a VA examination is needed to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to service, including a lightning strike in 1957. For headaches, an addendum opinion is required to assess whether they are related to service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress or aggravated by it.

The Board has determined that the Veteran submitted a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) for multiple issues addressed in a December 2016 rating decision. The appeal is now REMANDED to issue an appropriate Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for muscle and joint pain, headaches, and hypertension have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,Service connection will be considered on a direct basis for all three conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a left leg condition, right leg condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, gastrointestinal disorder, and headaches due to lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of a low back (lumbar spine) disability due to lack of jurisdiction. The remaining claims for left knee, right elbow, and headache disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic headaches. The other claims are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection is sought for fibromyalgia, generalized muscle weakness and aching (due to an undiagnosed illness), and respiratory disorder (due to an undiagnosed illness). Additional development is needed.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for migraine headaches was granted with an effective date of February 1, 2016.,The Veteran's TBI claim was also granted with an effective date of September 6, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including sciatica, back disability, right hip and knee disabilities, cold injury residuals, PTSD, chronic sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, skin disorder of the feet, fibromyalgia, stroke with left-side balance impairment, headaches (migraines), degenerative bone disease, heart disability, muscle pain and soreness, and a left eye disability. The Board found no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential intermediate stop of obesity between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection on a secondary basis are remanded due to issues regarding the foreseeability of statin-induced side effects and the relationship between the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's migraine headaches resulted in characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month. The Board found the 30 percent rating previously assigned to his service-connected migraine disability to be proper for the period prior to October 13, 2015.

The Veteran's tension headaches are not manifested by characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months, resulting in a denial of a compensable rating.,Service connection for the bilateral leg disorder is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding its onset and causation.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for her service-connected headaches is remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining medical records.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), including post-concussive headaches, is being remanded due to the need for a new examination to assess the severity of his condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeals regarding service connection for a neck disorder, a higher initial rating for the headache disorder, and increased disability ratings for lumbosacral strain, right and left hip impairment, limitation of right and left hip flexion, and left knee painful flexion with arthritis. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for migraines from May 17, 2017 to May 15, 2018 was denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders was granted.

The Board denied attorney fees for past-due benefits from the July 2019 TDIU grant due to a lack of timely notice of disagreement (NOD) on the issue.

The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a higher initial rating of 30 percent effective May 10, 2011. The appellant was awarded attorney fees based on the total award of past-due benefits awarded to the Veteran in the December 2013 rating decision, prior to the withholding for military retired pay.

The Veteran's headache disability, diagnosed as chronic headaches and tension headaches, is granted service connection on the basis of aggravation by his service-connected psychological, lumbar spine, left knee, and left ankle disabilities. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea claim is denied.

The Board denied service connection for migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of migraines did not have its onset in service or was otherwise unrelated to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for sleep apnea, concluding that there is no evidence linking the Veteran’s current condition to his active duty.