Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, to include as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder, is not warranted. The evidence does not support a finding of a chronic headache condition related to service or service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's headaches were rated at 30 percent prior to October 2009, and increased to 50 percent effective November 1, 2009.,For the lumbar spine disability, ratings of 10%, 20%, and 50% have been granted since June 5, 2004.

The Board has remanded the case to the Appeals Management Center (AMC) for additional development, including a medical examination and consideration of whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities present an exceptional or unusual disability picture that would prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a thyroid disorder, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD and reflux esophagitis), and headaches as due to undiagnosed illness in the Persian Gulf War. The Veteran's other claims have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to reassess the severity of his service-connected mixed headache syndrome and lumbar degenerative disc disease, as well as to address a derivative claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD and undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have been rated at 30 percent since the appeal period began, reflecting characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month over several months.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disability, asthma, hemorrhoids, Morton's neuroma, sinusitis, hypertension, right and left shoulder disabilities, a right knee disability, otitis media, rhinitis, costochondritis, GERD, headaches, and left testicle epididymitis. The Veteran does not have hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at 10 percent since February 17, 1981 to April 12, 2013. The appeal for a higher rating is granted. Regarding TDIU, the Veteran withdrew their appeal prior to the issuance of a decision.

The Veteran's headache disability is currently rated at 30 percent, effective from October 6, 2014. His bilateral ankle synovitis has been assigned a noncompensable evaluation throughout the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current sinus disorder is causally related to her military service and grants entitlement to service connection for a sinus disorder. The issue of an increased rating for migraine headaches remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right elbow disability, claimed as cellulitis, was denied because there is no current diagnosis of a right elbow disability. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability.

The Veteran's GERD was granted an initial rating of 10 percent effective February 2, 2010. Service connection for right shoulder injury and right knee injury were denied. Service connection for migraine headaches secondary to PTSD was granted. Service connection for bilateral tinnitus was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a Travel Board hearing scheduled in February 2015. The case will be returned to the AOJ for scheduling another hearing.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, including those related to chronic fatigue syndrome, mild obstructive lung disease and interstitial lung disease, muscle pain, bilateral feet numbness, headaches, and joint pain. The Board is dismissing the appeals.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been shown to have been incurred during active service with symptoms ever since separation, and the Board grants the claim for service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of migraine headaches was granted effective December 5, 2013. Service connection for diabetes mellitus and balance problems and dizziness disorder were also granted secondary to service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to August 12, 2003.

The Veteran's current headaches are not service-connected as they did not occur in or were not caused by any event, injury, or disease during service, to include exposure to Agent Orange.