Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a 'Travel Board' hearing. The appeal is currently in process and no effective date or rating assigned has been determined yet.

The veteran's migraine headaches are productive of disability more closely compatible with very frequently prostrating and prolonged attacks, resulting in severe economic inadaptability. The VA has granted an initial 50 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected migraine headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and a rating of 20 percent for residuals, status post avulsion fracture of sinus process C-7. The veteran's symptoms are currently rated as moderate limited motion.

The veteran's intermittent explosive disorder with a history of delusions syndrome and organic personality disorder with headaches is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under current criteria. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's current mental disorders, including post-traumatic headaches and a mental condition, were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The evidence did not show a direct link between his in-service head injury and his current conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic headaches.

The veteran's chronic disabilities, including a psychiatric condition, cervical spine disorder, lumbosacral spine disorder, eye disorder, and headaches, meet the schedular requirements for non-service-connected pension purposes. The Board finds that he is permanently and totally disabled for VA pension purposes.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for muscular contractions with headaches and neck pain was granted. The claim for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional disability as a result of left shoulder surgery in January 1991 was denied, as there is no clinical or other competent evidence showing that the veteran's pre-existing low back disorder was permanently increased in severity due to the November 1982 stretcher accident and his left shoulder disability resulted from VA treatment. The claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation of chronic pharyngitis, service connection for BPH and headaches, and service connection for throat cancer. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for chronic pharyngitis or establish service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, chronic laryngitis, multiple chemical sensitivity, and headaches. Service connection for PTSD was denied as not due to a stressor related to service. The veteran's bronchial asthma is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus, dizziness, headaches, and a psychiatric disorder, were not incurred or aggravated by active military service. The appeals for these issues have been denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for head injury with headaches, blepharoconjunctivitis, prostatitis and epididymitis, and left ear otitis media were denied. The claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the cervical spine was granted.

The Board denied the veteran's request for waiver of overpayment, finding that recovery would not be against equity and good conscience due to fault on both the veteran's and VA's part. The decision also granted waiver for the amount of the overpayment from February 2, 1999 onwards.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various undiagnosed illness-related conditions, including headaches, sleep apnea, skull calcifications, diarrhea, positive tuberculin test findings, and chronic bronchitis. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board found that the veteran does not have ataxia, manifested by a gait disorder, incurred or aggravated in military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's undiagnosed illness manifested in 1997 and cannot be attributed to any known clinical diagnosis, granting service connection for his claimed conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's maxillary sinusitis did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as it was manifested by chronic allergic rhinitis and minimal symptomatology restricted to the left maxillary sinus and left anterior ethmoid.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities involving his knees or reflux esophagitis, and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service. The appeal for headaches is deferred until after the development of the low back disability issue.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for migraine headaches, and a chronic headache disorder was found to have existed during active service.

The veteran's appeals for service connection were withdrawn, and the claims of entitlement to an effective date prior to October 30, 1996, for post-traumatic stress disorder; and entitlement to an effective date prior to June 15, 2000, for a total rating for compensation purposes based upon individual unemployability have been denied.