Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, residuals of brain aneurysm, seizure disorder, migraine headaches, scar over left eye, and surgical scar on top of head are not supported by evidence. The Board finds that there is no current medical opinion linking these conditions to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are rated at a maximum of 50 percent, which is the highest schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 8100. The Board found that this rating adequately reflects the severity and impact on the Veteran's economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's claim for loss of sense of smell is denied as there is no current disability during the rating period.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for headaches is denied due to lack of characteristic prostrating attacks.

The reduction of the 70 percent rating for specified trauma and stressor related disorder was improper; restoration of the 70 percent rating effective December 1, 2019 is granted. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for headaches, to include as secondary to service-connected sleep apnea and/or specified trauma and stressor related disorder, and his entitlement to a TDIU are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's requests for an earlier effective date for awards of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Basic Eligibility of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The effective dates remain June 23, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, a right shoulder disorder, and a back disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities within close proximity to the filing of his claims.,There are no treatment records documenting any symptoms or diagnoses related to these conditions after service. The Veteran did not report any such symptoms prior to the December 2020 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension and service connection for migraine headaches has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show diastolic readings of predominantly 110 or more or systolic readings of 200 or more, and there is no current diagnosis of migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his periods of active duty, inactive duty training, and exposure. The AOJ must obtain pay stubs from the Navy Reserve to determine these periods and provide VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of the veteran's head injury, back disability, respiratory disability, and heart disability.

The Veteran's GERD and neurological disorder, to include headaches, are granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities of bilateral knee patellofemoral syndrome and status post reconstruction of right shoulder with residual frozen shoulder.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and medical opinions obtained are insufficient to make a decision on the Veteran's claims. The case is therefore being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at 30 percent, effective as of the date of this decision.,The Veteran's generalized headaches are rated at 30 percent, effective as of the date of this decision.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and migraine headaches due to inadequate medical opinions. The claims will be reviewed again with additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, brain disease due to trauma, headaches, chronic sleep impairment, and lumbar disability are being remanded for further development.,No effective date is assigned as the AOJ has not determined a specific date of claim or date entitlement arose.

The Veteran's service connection claim for headaches was denied as the evidence did not establish a direct relationship between his current condition and his active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for diabetes and headaches due to a lack of VA examinations, which constitutes a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his tension headaches was denied as the evidence did not show characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for posttraumatic headaches and TDIU have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's migraines are related to his service-connected tinnitus, and therefore grants service connection for migraines on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for migraine headaches was denied, and the claim for service connection for OSA, which is secondary to PTSD, was granted.

The Board has restored the previous disability rating of 30% for posttraumatic headaches and granted a new increased rating to 50%. The Veteran's condition was found to meet the criteria for a 50% rating due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.