Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board has ordered a remand to determine his employability.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding several disability ratings, effectively dismissing the cases.

The Board granted service connection for kidney stones and migraine headaches, assigning a 30% rating effective July 2, 2018.

The Board has determined that additional medical records are needed and a VA medical opinion is required to address the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea. The claims for service connection for various conditions are being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is granted for an initial disability rating of 50 percent for post traumatic headaches. The application to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. Issues related to residuals of a stroke, right cornea disability, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and headaches due to inadequate medical opinions and potential outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on regular need for aid and attendance is remanded due to the lack of adequate contemporaneous medical examinations. The Board finds that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current state of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform activities of daily living.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and a bilateral foot disability due to incomplete examination records and need for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination. The claims for service connection for residuals of TBI, left ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left hip disability, left knee disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent, and an effective date prior to December 9, 2017, is denied.,PTSD was granted a 30 percent disability rating in June 2016, which was continued in May 2018. A 50 percent rating for PTSD is now effective from December 9, 2017.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and sciatic nerve radiculopathy were initially rated at 10 percent each, with a 40 percent rating for the lumbar spine and 20 percent ratings for both lower extremities granted in August 2018. The effective date is December 9, 2017.,PTSD was granted a 30 percent disability rating in June 2016, which was continued in May 2018. A 50 percent rating for PTSD is now effective from December 9, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for migraine headaches is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The appeals will be considered again after further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination. The issues include service connection for various disabilities, including knee and cervical spine conditions, as well as neurological and migraine headaches, all potentially related to his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his chronic vascular headaches with dizziness, loss of equilibrium, head pain, and neck pain has been denied as the highest schedular rating is already assigned.,The March 2009 decision denying service connection for Cushing's disease is final. The Veteran's new evidence received since then is considered sufficient to reopen his claim, but it does not provide a clear link between his current condition and his active service.,Service connection has been granted for the left foot disability (gout) and left elbow disability, both related to in-service injuries. Service connection for right knee disability is also granted.,The Veteran's hypertension needs further evaluation as VA treatment records since November 2015 have not been provided. The examiner should assess whether his current disabilities are aggravated by service-connected conditions.,Service connection for a right shoulder disability, left hip disability (arthritis of the fingers), and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also remanded.

The Veteran's headaches disability, rated at 60 percent on an extraschedular basis since September 12, 2006, is found to have caused marked interference with employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions were denied due to lack of evidence linking the disabilities to service or a service-connected condition. The RO found no new and material evidence in the additional records received since the previous decisions.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for service-connected headaches, finding that the schedular criteria adequately described the Veteran's disability picture and symptoms. The Veteran was already receiving a TDIU rating due to his severe headache symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations. The examinations must be rescheduled as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran received proper notice of his scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating.,Right ear hearing loss was not found to meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed hearing loss disability for VA purposes and his sleep apnea is not related to service. The back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder claims are remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine their etiology.