Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his right ankle disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his headaches and ankle condition.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the December 2022 HLR decision did not constitute a final, appealable decision regarding service connection for migraines.

The Veteran's headache disability is granted as service connected due to its onset during active duty and continuous symptoms since then.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected tension headaches, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headache disorder and right wrist disability were denied due to her failure to attend scheduled VA examinations. The Board has decided these claims are remanded, requiring the Veteran to be rescheduled for new VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches are related to his service-connected tinnitus, and thus grants service connection for migraines as secondary to tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection have been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal request from the appellant and his authorized representative.

The Veteran's migraines associated with sinusitis have been rated at 50% since May 14, 2021, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that produce severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent, effective as of the date of this decision.,The Veteran's non-allergic rhinitis does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and/or tinnitus are found to be at least as likely the cause of his migraine headaches, warranting a grant of service connection for these headaches.

The Veteran's service connection claims for headaches and an undiagnosed illness (claimed as chronic multi-symptom illness) are granted. The Board found that the Veteran experienced headaches during service and has a current diagnosis, establishing continuity of symptomatology. For the undiagnosed illness claim, the Board found in favor of presumptive service connection based on symptoms matching those of an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not considered a current disability under VA criteria.,There is no credible evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, related to service. The Veteran did not identify any in-service stressors or events.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for headache disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. Service connection is also denied for bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 17, 2010, for the assignment of a separate disability rating for migraine headaches associated with residuals of TBI is granted. The Veteran's entitlement to an increased evaluation of 50 percent for migraine headaches from June 19, 2014, to August 7, 2017; from March 26, 2021, to December 9, 2021; and since December 9, 2021, is also granted. The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for migraine headaches prior to June 19, 2014, is denied.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus and asthma have been granted service connection. The Veteran's headaches are remanded for a secondary service connection opinion, and her sleep apnea is also remanded for an aggravation of service-connected condition opinion.

The Veteran's migraines were rated at a 30 percent disability rating effective October 11, 2016. The Board found that the Veteran had migraines with characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's headaches are caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. A new VA examination is required to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's headaches and his period of service, including exposure to environmental toxins.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of access to certain medical records stored in Vista Imaging or similar repositories. The AOJ is instructed to obtain and associate with the claims file complete updated clinical records, including those from VA and non-VA treatment providers.