Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 50% effective November 4, 2014. The reduction of his TBI rating from 40% to 10% is granted as proper. A rating in excess of 40% for his TBI residuals is denied.

The claim for service connection for GERD is denied as there is no direct evidence linking the condition to active duty. The Veteran's current GERD is not secondary to or aggravated by his use of NSAIDs for his service-connected musculoskeletal conditions.,The claim for service connection for headaches is denied as there is no direct evidence linking the condition to a service-connected disability. The Veteran's current headaches are not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected mental disabilities.

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

The Veteran's appeal for an increased initial rating for migraine headaches has been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected headache disorder due to inadequate examination reports and a need for additional medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's migraine headaches are service-connected or secondary to his PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran requires regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, left knee arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, hiatal hernia, left elbow dislocation, hypertension, hemorrhoids, post laceration of the right thigh with residual scar, and right shoulder surgical scar associated with right shoulder arthritis. As a result, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected TBI is found to cause his obstructive sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and bipolar disorders), migraines, tinnitus, and ED. Effective dates are granted for these conditions starting from October 5, 2016.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of his claimed disabilities, particularly those related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a sleep condition is denied. The rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches is also denied. The reduction from 20% to noncompensable rating for RLE radiculopathy is upheld.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are granted a 30% rating, effective August 13, 2012. The issue of an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines and PTSD have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective September 29, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and/or adaptive equipment due to lack of loss or permanent loss of use of hands or feet, ankylosis of knees or hips, or vision impairment.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left calf disability, sinusitis, left hip strain, right hip strain, chronic airway dysfunction, tension headaches, dermatitis with rosacea, left thigh strain, costochondritis, and a 10 percent evaluation for multiple noncompensable disabilities. The remand requires obtaining VA treatment records from March 2015 to the present and private healthcare provider records.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of left knee disability as secondary to a service-connected left ankle disability, but denied the underlying merits of the claim. The Veteran is also seeking an increased rating for his chronic tension headaches.,The appeal is mixed as some issues were granted and others are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claim for additional development due to new information provided by the Veteran, including medical articles supporting his claims. An independent medical opinion is needed from a non-VA specialist in orthopedics.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, Churg-Strauss syndrome, esophageal cancer, multiple sclerosis, and headaches have all been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service, and thus no presumptive service connection is warranted.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim was denied as the disability did not manifest within a year of service or be related to an in-service disease or injury.

The Veteran's service-connected post-concussive headaches, including vertigo, are granted a separate 30 percent rating effective June 17, 2013. The issue of a higher rating for the lumbar spine disability and TDIU prior to June 17, 2013 is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation, thus his claim for TDIU was denied.