Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as her conditions are not shown to be related to her military service, including service in the Persian Gulf. The appeal was reopened on new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records. The issues of an increased evaluation for migraine headaches and entitlement to TDIU prior to November 19, 2010 are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased disability ratings for headaches and traumatic brain injury. As a result, the Board does not have jurisdiction to consider these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 50 percent rating, diabetes mellitus remains at 20 percent, bilateral cataracts remain at 10 percent, and headaches are rated as non-compensable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to determine the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work, and for consideration of extraschedular TDIU criteria.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, claimed as migraines or white foci of the brain, to include as due to exposure to mustard gas is being remanded for further development and clarification.

The Board is remanding the case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's headaches and their impact on his employment. The TDIU claim will also be addressed as it may have an impact on the initial rating claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine disability, sleep apnea, GERD, migraine headaches, and bilateral hearing loss. The reasons provided were that there was no confirmed diagnosis of these conditions in service or since service separation, and continuity of symptoms since service could not be established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of migraine headaches or ruptured left inguinal hernia, post-operative. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran meets the percentage requirements for TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD, prostate cancer residuals, and left occipital area fragment wound with chronic headaches and trigeminal neuropathy preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's chronic hypertensive headaches have been rated at 10 percent since June 1, 2005.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic headaches. Service connection for hypertension due to PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability and obtaining relevant medical records. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated after all referred issues are addressed.

The Veteran's migraines are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that they have not resulted in severe economic inadaptability. The Veteran has missed work due to his headaches, but he remains employed and able to make up for lost time.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches, bilateral knee disability, back disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for right leg disability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and found that the Veteran's participation in recovery and cleanup efforts during his active duty service is a stressor related to his PTSD. The remaining issues of whether new and material evidence was received to reopen prior claims for various conditions, as well as entitlement to increased disability ratings, are remanded for further action.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the Veteran's missed VA examinations and unclear address. The claims for reopening a service connection claim, increased rating for excoriation of the arms and legs, and a higher disability rating for lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease are being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his tension headaches. The TDIU claim is also part of this appeal.

The Board denied service connection for headaches as a primary and separately manifested disability, finding that they are part of his service-connected sinusitis or obstructive sleep apnea disabilities. The rating for left ear hearing loss remains unchanged.