Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection on all issues are remanded due to errors in the decision-making process and the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines with visual disturbance has been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches and gout of the bilateral big toes are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations that did not consider the ameliorative effects of medication on his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher level of SMC was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for such an increase.

The Veteran's service connection claims for anxiety, PTSD, back disability, headaches, craniopharyngioma, and OSA have all been granted. The Board found that the current diagnoses are etiologically related to in-service stressors and events.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating prior to June 13, 2019. The Board finds insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that he was unemployable solely because of his service-connected disabilities during this period.

Effective dates of December 11, 2015, but no earlier, have been granted for the awards of service connection for lumbar spine and right hip disabilities.,Initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for both conditions are denied.

The Veteran's generalized headaches are now rated at a 30 percent evaluation for the entire appeal period.,The cervical disability claim is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's right hand/fingers condition is granted service connection as it resulted in functional impairment. The Veteran's headaches and patellofemoral pain syndrome (knee) are denied service connection due to lack of a link to service.

The Veteran's migraines were rated at 30 percent, but the Board found that they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,For her unspecified anxiety disorder with associated depression, the Veteran was assigned a 50 percent rating. The Board determined that she met the criteria for this rating based on symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships.

The Board has determined that new evidence received after previous denials warrants readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for scoliosis, bilateral hearing loss disability, and migraine headaches. The AOJ is directed to obtain additional medical records and schedule examinations to address these issues.

The appeal for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and depression) are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of headaches has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's initial claim for a rating of 30 percent for tension headaches has been granted, with the condition being characterized as having characteristic prostrating attacks occurring at least once a month.

The Veteran's migraine disorder is now service-connected and rated at 50% effective December 8, 2018. The claim for a higher rating remains pending.,Effective December 8, 2018, the Veteran was granted an initial disability rating of 50% for his migraine headaches.

The Board has restored a 30 percent evaluation for migraine headaches, finding that the reduction from 30 to 0 percent was improper due to lack of evidence showing actual improvement in the Veteran's condition.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his headache condition was denied as the evidence did not show severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran's appeals for compensable ratings for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis were also denied, with no specific reasoning provided.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for his service-connected migraine headaches is being remanded due to incomplete records of his VCP-authorized private neurology treatment.

The Veteran's representative has withdrawn all appeals, including those for service connection and readjudication of various disabilities. As a result, the Board is dismissing these appeals.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted a 30% rating, but the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is remanded due to insufficient evidence.