Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (cluster headaches and hypertension) do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, but his employment status suggests he may be unemployable due to these conditions. The case is being referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and bilateral hearing loss were denied, as well as his claim for service connection for headaches. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran engaged in combat and was injured during an in-service rocket attack, leading to residuals of a TBI including headaches, seizures, and cognitive impairment. The evidence is equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's hypertension and headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected tension headaches have been rated as 30 percent disabling since March 25, 2005. The evidence shows that the headaches are characterized by frequent attacks with characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average of once a month.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected psychiatric disorder and headache disorder, as well as any residual TBI symptoms. The TDIU claim will also be remanded due to its inextricability from these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a head injury, including headaches, dizziness, and lightheadedness is granted as the evidence supports that these symptoms arose after an in-service injury and have persisted since.

The Veteran's chronic headaches were found to be incurred in service and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left knee disorder due to his withdrawal. Service connection is granted for asthma and hair loss (alopecia areata) as incurred in service, but not for headaches or initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an upper back disability and bilateral pes planus, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for postconcussive syndrome with recurrent headaches. The Veteran did not have a distinct upper back disability other than that already service-connected. His PTSD symptoms were considered under the criteria for TBI.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have been rated at an initial 30 percent since October 31, 2006. The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise as to whether the Veteran experienced characteristic prostrating attacks on average once a month.

The Veteran's generalized headaches are rated at a maximum of 50 percent, which is the highest schedular rating available under the applicable VA rating criteria. The Board found that this level of disability resulted in severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to address whether the Veteran's blindness is secondary to his service-connected traumatic brain injury with headaches and generalized anxiety with dementia.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new VA examinations and obtaining outstanding treatment records. The issues on appeal are whether he should receive a higher rating for his meningitis with migraine headaches and whether he has a back disability related to service.

The Veteran's initial 30 percent rating for migraine headaches was granted effective November 28, 2007. The disability is currently rated under the criteria for a direct service connection.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and bilateral foot disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service.