Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The VA determined that the veteran's cluster headaches, rated as 10 percent disabling since October 22, 1996, warrant a higher evaluation of 30 percent effective from October 22, 1996.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation, service connection for PTSD and back injuries, as well as reopening of a claim for sinusitis, rhinitis and a deviated nasal septum were denied. The veteran's claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions of allergies, sinus headaches, and asthma are not service-connected as there is no evidence showing their onset during active duty or continuity of symptomatology. The veteran's reported undiagnosed illness resulting in intermittent numbness, muscle aches, fatigue, and other symptoms was also denied due to lack of objective medical evidence.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's headaches were not incurred or aggravated during his active service and are not related to any service-connected disability, including Reiter's syndrome.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and severance of service connection for refractive error, PTSD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and chronic muscle tension headaches. The decision found that the initial grants of service connection were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The VA has denied a higher rating for the veteran's service-connected headaches, finding that his complaints of daily or near-daily headaches do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board found that the veteran does not have any residuals of frostbite, a current inguinal rupture or recurrent hernia, a neck condition, a shoulder condition, or headaches that were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The veteran's death was caused by hydrocephalus due to recurrent medulablastoma, which the VA oncologist reviewed and concluded could be an early manifestation of his brain cancer. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation of his schizoaffective disorder and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The current disability is rated at 30 percent, but does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting left knee and bilateral pes planus disabilities did not worsen during service, and denied claims for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of intracranial injury and headache disorder are currently rated at 50 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The RO has granted a 50 percent disability rating for these conditions.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic post-traumatic headaches and varicocelectomy scar were both denied. The VA found that the veteran's headaches did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and his varicocelectomy scar was not painful or tender.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and TDIU due to her service-connected disabilities. The veteran's combined disability rating is 70 percent, meeting the threshold requirement for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's chronic headaches are related to her in-service concussion, and thus service connection for residuals of a concussion with residual headaches is granted.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes was denied as he failed to report for a scheduled VA psychiatric examination without good cause.

The veteran's post-traumatic headaches were found to be incurred in active service and granted.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of skull trauma and found no new and material evidence to reopen the claims for seizure disorder and headaches. The veteran's appeal was not properly addressed in the original decision.

The Board found that service connection could not be granted for headaches, skin disorder, joint pain, muscle pain, memory loss and behavior changes, or fatigue as they were not shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by active service. However, the veteran's abnormal weight gain was considered a compensable disability.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for headaches and a compensable evaluation for chronic sinusitis, finding that the evidence did not support ratings higher than those currently assigned.

The veteran's chronic headaches, bilateral foot pain, hypertension, and prostatitis are all found to be related to his active service.