Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) is denied. The evidence does not support a higher rating as the preponderance of the evidence weighs in favor of finding that the Veteran does not have a level 3 or greater impairment in any facet of TBI, and his headaches are not attributable to his TBI.

The Veteran's service connection claims for weakness, fatigue, headaches, and a respiratory condition are being remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, bronchitis, asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diverticulosis, colon polyps, kidney stones, cysts and lumps, facial acne, headaches, and depression. The remand requires obtaining private medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all the listed issues, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to mercury from dental fillings and its relationship to his current symptoms. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records, including CT scans, and a VA examination will be conducted to determine if there are any residuals of mercury poisoning related to service.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, depression, and lack of sleep) as the evidence did not establish a relationship to service.

The Veteran's TMD, anxiety disorder, and migraine headaches are service-connected. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for shoulder disability and back disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for joint pain, muscle pain, hypertension secondary to PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart condition (claimed as cardiovascular symptoms), and headaches. The reasons include the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, dizziness, and lightheadedness as secondary to his service-connected cardiomyopathy is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines is granted with an effective date of April 12, 2012. The initial rating assigned for migraines is 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for ulcerative colitis and headaches due to additional relevant evidence being associated with the record. The Veteran is also requested to provide updated VA treatment records from the Miami VA Healthcare System.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all conditions and issues except hypertension, PTSD/Depressive Disorder with Memory Loss, sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome, GERD, back disorder, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right and left hand disabilities, diverticulitis, chronic constipation, urinary incontinence, arthritis of the entire body, fibromyalgia/arthralgia, erectile dysfunction, rhinitis, migraine headaches, fungus of the feet, sinusitis, hypercholesterolemia. The Board dismissed these appeals as per the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not result in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, as his helplessness was due to nonservice-connected disabilities such as stroke and brain cancer. Therefore, SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for accrued benefits purposes is denied.

The Veteran's nervous condition or psychiatric disorder also claimed as sleep disorder is remanded.,The Veteran’s ED claim is remanded along with the nervous condition/psychiatric disorder claim, and held in abeyance until that claim is fully developed and addressed by the AOJ.,The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's left shoulder disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's left upper extremity neuropathy is remanded.,The Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a supplemental medical opinion regarding her migraines and overall employability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran’s claims of service connection for a right knee disability, seizure disorder, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, sleep apnea, TBI, headaches, seizure disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

Your claims for increased ratings have been dismissed as the Board decisions granting your ratings are final.

The Veteran's 10 percent disability rating for mixed tension vascular headaches is restored, effective September 1, 2013. The issue of entitlement to an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for mixed tension vascular headaches is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, low back disorder, and right knee disorder. The decision also includes a request for additional VA examinations to determine current diagnoses and associated impairment.

The Veteran's joint and muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disorder, liver disorder, memory loss, headaches, and depression are presumed to be related to his service in the Persian Gulf. Service connection is granted for these conditions.