Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims for various conditions as the Veteran did not timely file a substantive appeal or opt into the modernized review system.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's service-connection claims for various conditions have been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The specific conditions include residuals of removal of an esophagus tumor, hypertension, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, headache disability, low back disability, multiple myeloma, soft tissue sarcoma, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error regarding the severity of her migraine headache disorder, specifically without considering the ameliorative effects of medications from previous VA examinations.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of August 16, 2017, for the service connection awards of migraine headaches and a right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for migraines and hysterectomy due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. A new VA examination is needed to address whether the Veteran's migraines are related to her service, and a new addendum opinion is needed to determine if her preexisting cyst was aggravated by active duty.

The Veteran's rating for migraine headaches was reduced from 50% to 30%, but the Board found this reduction improper and restored the original 50% rating.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraines has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board denied a compensable rating for migraines from September 9, 2019, to January 24, 2022, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal to readjudicate a claim for an earlier effective date for an increased evaluation from 0 to 50 percent for tension headaches is denied because all new evidence submitted since the October 2024 HLR decision was previously part of the record.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder with persistent depressive disorder is granted. The claim for service connection of migraine headaches is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are being remanded due to scheduling conflicts preventing VA examinations, and the claim for a higher rating based on multiple noncompensable disabilities is inextricably intertwined with other pending claims.

The Veteran's claimed migraines are not found to be related to his service-connected hypertension, and the Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches are not service-connected on a direct basis. However, as his claim for secondary service connection is remanded, any evidence previously considered will be reconsidered in light of this new development.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for migraine headaches was granted, and his claim for service connection of a left hand condition (tendonitis) is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has granted an effective date of May 23, 2017 for the establishment of service connection for migraines associated with a service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). The decision is based on the Veteran's continuous complaints and treatment records showing migraine symptoms throughout the pendency of his claim.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. The Veteran's current tinnitus is related to service.,Service connection is denied for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), urinary frequency, insomnia, and lung condition due to asbestos exposure. There is no persuasive evidence of a current disability or relationship to service.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of September 1, 2017 for the increased 50 percent evaluation of the Veteran's migraine headaches. The Veteran's symptoms have been characterized as very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a TDIU from September 30, 2015 to March 22, 2016 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal was denied because the November 24, 2023 decision granting service connection for posttraumatic headaches and post-concussion syndrome was not timely appealed. The Veteran did not file a timely Board Appeal request within one year of receiving the decision.