Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a TDIU and non-service-connected disability pension benefits, finding that his service-connected PTSD and migraines did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination and the need for additional medical records. The Veteran's headaches are being reviewed again as part of his service connection claim.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a bilateral elbow condition, bilateral foot condition, cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, left knee degenerative arthritis, sinusitis, and migraine condition are denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.,Service connection for a bilateral elbow condition (claimed as joint pains) is denied because there is no current disability. Service connection for a bilateral foot condition, including plantar fasciitis, is denied due to lack of in-service incurrence and continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various symptoms, including headaches, gastrointestinal issues, muscle and joint pain, lower extremity neuropathies, palpitations with tachycardia, and chronic fatigue, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness. Additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected tension headaches is denied. Prior to April 16, 2019, the evidence does not support a finding of characteristic prostrating attacks. From April 16, 2019, the evidence supports one such attack per month.

The Board has granted service connection for low back degenerative disc disease and headaches, finding that these conditions are due to injuries sustained during a period of active duty training (ACDUTRA).

The Veteran's claims for migraines and sinusitis were denied as there was no evidence of characteristic prostrating attacks or incapacitating episodes, respectively.,Service connection for a rib disability, tarsal tunnel syndrome of the left lower extremity, and tarsal tunnel syndrome of the right lower extremity were all denied due to lack of current diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, including lumbosacral strain, was denied. The appeal is mixed as some issues were granted and others were not.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, secondary to his service-connected shoulder bursitis, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination. The Veteran's tension headaches are not considered to be prostrating, thus denying a compensable rating. Service connection is remanded for right knee, right shoulder, right ankle, and left wrist disabilities. An initial compensable rating for nasal polyps is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to her service-connected lumbar spine disability, and whether her headaches are secondary to her cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for shin splints, skin disability (including residuals of shingles), and migraine headaches due to service connection. The claims are being returned for additional development including obtaining complete service treatment records, VA examination reports, and a determination on dental issues.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines, including migraine variants with tension, are not shown to be productive of characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one episode in two months over the last several months. Therefore, his claim for an initial compensable evaluation is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected headaches and service connection for PTSD due to incomplete information regarding the Veteran's reported stressor incidents.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, including asthma and chest pains. The Veteran's current diagnosis of asthma is not related to his active duty service.,The Board also denied service connection for memory loss, finding no evidence of such during or recent to the filing of the claim. The Veteran was not diagnosed with memory loss until 2003, approximately eleven years after separation from active service.,Service connection for migraines was denied as well. The August 2016 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's migraine headaches are likely due to multiple head traumas occurring after his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for a heart disability. The Veteran's pericarditis diagnosis is not related to his active duty service, and the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that it began during service.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of cold injury to bilateral hands and feet, as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection was also denied for the Veteran's sleep disorder, which the Board found not related to active duty service. The Board noted that post-service medical records did not show any diagnosis of sleep apnea.,The Board determined that the Veteran’s low back disability is not service connected, as there is no evidence linking his current condition to in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities and for a compensable rating for migraine headaches due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the presence and etiology of these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right ankle degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylolisthesis (lumbar spine disability), asthma, and tension headaches. The effective dates were assigned based on the Veteran's requests.,The earlier effective date of April 30, 1999 for the grant of service connection for right ankle degenerative arthritis was granted as requested by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the cases of sleep apnea and headache disability for further development to obtain medical opinions regarding their relationship to service, specifically whether they are related to the Veteran's hip disabilities or undiagnosed illnesses.

The Veteran's tension headaches were granted service connection. The issue of entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current residuals of a TBI, including headaches and memory loss, arose during active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.