Migraines & headaches Board decisions

The Veteran's TBI residuals are rated as 0 percent disabling, and the claim for a compensable rating is denied.,For the period prior to July 28, 2018, the Veteran's migraine headaches were rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 8100. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,From July 28, 2018, the Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent, which is the highest available under Diagnostic Code 8100. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,The effective date of January 22, 2018, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for TBI and migraine headache disorder is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen her previously denied claims for service connection for headaches, tinnitus, rheumatoid arthritis, a lumbar spine disorder, a right ankle disorder, a left ankle disorder, a right wrist disorder, and a left wrist disorder. The appeals are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to July 17, 2018 due to a lack of evidence showing that her service-connected disabilities alone rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, OSA disability, and headache disability. The remand is due to incomplete or insufficient medical opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding service connection for headaches, which were conceded to be related to environmental exposures in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected chronic headaches was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent, as his headaches were not characterized by very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 5, 2012. The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for headaches and sleep apnea due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again with new medical opinions.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 50% from January 31, 2015.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is rated at 100% from January 31, 2015.,The Veteran's Addison's disease with hypothyroidism, hypotestosteronism, and growth hormone deficiency is rated at 60% from January 31, 2015.

The Veteran's migraines are granted a 50% disability rating from October 2, 2018 to November 21, 2019. The TDIU is granted for the period prior to May 21, 2018 and from May 21, 2018 to November 20, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for DM, right shoulder disability, and other conditions was denied. The application to reopen the DM claim was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The rating for the right shoulder disability remains at 30 percent.

The Veteran's service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches, and chronic fatigue syndrome have been granted. The claim for chronic fatigue syndrome is remanded due to the need for a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's right fourth finger fracture is currently rated noncompensably disabling, as the disability does not meet criteria for a compensable rating.,For GERD prior to November 15, 2019, the Veteran was granted an initial noncompensable rating. The Board found no evidence of symptoms warranting a higher evaluation.,Beginning November 15, 2019, the Veteran's GERD is rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board noted that while the Veteran has infrequent episodes of epigastric distress and vomiting, these do not meet criteria for a higher rating.,For migraine headaches prior to November 15, 2019, the Veteran was granted an initial noncompensable rating. The Board found no evidence of prostrating attacks warranting a higher evaluation.

The appeals for service connection on all issues have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's posttraumatic migraine headaches are rated at 50% effective November 14, 2014. The Board also granted TDIU prior to July 27, 2016, due to the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for tinnitus and migraines, sleep apnea as secondary to sinusitis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss. The effective dates remain pending.

The Veteran's disability rating for service-connected migraine headaches was reduced from a 50 percent to noncompensable from May 1, 2017 to April 15, 2019. The Board found that the reduction was improper and restored the 50 percent rating.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those for service connection for bipolar disorder, increased evaluations for thoracolumbar strain and migraine headaches, and entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of her service-connected right arm numbness/tingling, TBI residuals, thoracolumbar spine spondylosis, and migraine headaches. The appeals are also remanded for a new examination to determine if there was any in-service causation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his combined rating of service-connected disabilities has been at least 100 percent throughout the appeal period, and he was not found to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.