Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current left foot disability and therefore, service connection for residuals of a left foot stress fracture is denied. The claim seeking service connection for TBI, to include headaches, and basic eligibility for VA nonservice-connected pension benefits are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the appeal for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tension headaches, hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's migraine headache symptoms have been productive of characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month over the last several months, warranting a disability rating of 30 percent.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent since the grant of service connection, with attacks occurring once per month on average. The Board found that these symptoms do not result in severe economic inadaptability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and heart murmur, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Board also found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen previously denied claims for right knee disability and pes planus.

The Veteran's bronchitis and migraine headaches have been rated at the minimum compensable levels. The VA has determined that her migraines meet the criteria for a 10 percent rating based on characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied. The claims for increased rating for IBS and initial rating for migraines were granted, with the highest available ratings of 30 percent each.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated employment history and medical records. The claims of entitlement to TDIU are also addressed.

The Veteran's claims of earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for TBI residuals with migraine headaches, delusional disorder, and folliculitis are dismissed as he did not submit a notice of disagreement (NOD) regarding these issues.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for tension headaches from June 2, 2010. The Veteran's hemifacial muscular spasm is rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded gainful employment as of March 1, 2006. The Board granted TDIU effective March 1, 2006.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches due to potential issues with the examination provided in June 2010. Additional treatment records are needed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records related to the Veteran's tension headaches.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches, while more frequent than once a month, did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they were not characterized by characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month over the last several months. The current 10 percent rating adequately reflects these symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, a lumbar spine disability, depression (secondary to PTSD), a benign growth of the lung, migraine headaches, and lung cancer. The evidence did not establish a link between any of these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for migraine headaches with transient visual disturbance was granted effective March 15, 2010. The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's notice of disagreement with respect to higher disability ratings for migraine headaches and traumatic brain injury residuals was untimely filed, thus denying these claims.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and a psychiatric disability in August 1986. The Veteran filed a claim to reopen in May 2009, when he was diagnosed with TBI. The effective date of the grant of service connection for TBI is set at May 15, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for migraine headaches has been withdrawn by his representative.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD and denied service connection for this condition. The TBI with tension type headaches was rated as 10 percent disabling, but the Veteran's appeal of the initial rating is a downstream matter following the initial assignment of service connection.