Migraines VA Claim Grants

Findings of Fact (verbatim from decision)

1. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) granted entitlement to service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, a gastrointestinal condition, in a December 2024 rating decision. There was no indication of clear and unmistakable error. 2. The RO also granted entitlement to service connection for OSA in a December 2024 rating decision. There was no indication of clear and unmistakable error. 3. The evidence is in approximate balance that the Veteran's vertigo was caused or aggravated by her service-connected conditions.

Reasons & Bases (verbatim from decision)

The Veteran served honorably on active duty in the United States Army from February 2006 through February 2010, with additional reserve service. She had over 1 year and 5 months of foreign service, including in Afghanistan, and was awarded the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (w/ Campaign Star), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, among others.

Findings of Fact (verbatim from decision)

1. Resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor, the headaches is at least as likely as not related service. 2. In a July 2025 decision, the Director of Compensation Service denied entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis. 3. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation considering his education and occupational experience.

Reasons & Bases (verbatim excerpts from decision)

In December 2023, a VA examiner reasoned that: "Medical records do not show objective evidence of exact cause of his migraines, therefore the cause of SM's headaches is unknown. Thus, migraines are less likely than not (likelihood is less than approximately balanced or nearly equal) caused by the indicated toxic exposure risk activity(ies), after considering the total potential exposure through all applicable military deployments of the veteran and the synergistic, combined effect of all toxic exposure risk activities of the veteran." The examiner further noted that "there is no evidence in treatment records after separating from service that [Veteran] had onset of initial clinical manifestations of headaches that can be characterized as migraines during active service. Thus, migraine condition is less likely than not incurred during active service." See December 2023 C&P Examination. In a February 2025 addendum opinion, the VA examiner provided the following: "I cannot comment beyond what I have without mere speculation. If there is lack of objective evidence, competence is irrelevant, as a veteran can claim anything they want but there is no objective evidence to support it. Therefore, it is less likely than not that the veterans head trauma in service in 1990 is the cause of his head pain.…

Findings of Fact (verbatim from decision)

Headaches are due to service-connected lumbar strain.

Findings of Fact (verbatim from decision)

The probative evidence is in relative balance whether the Veteran's service-connected migraines alone resulted in functional impairment that precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since July 15, 2011.

Findings of Fact (verbatim from decision)

1. The Veteran's left eye retinal detachment had its onset during active duty service. 2. The Veteran has credibly shown that he submitted his initial formal claim for service connection for PTSD, posttraumatic headaches, tinnitus, and asthma on March 10, 2015.

Reasons & Bases (verbatim excerpts from decision)

In February 2018, a VA record review and advisory medical opinion shows that, pursuant to the Veteran's claim regarding headaches, the reviewing provider opined that it appears that his headaches were incurred during active duty while deployed in 2013. The reviewing provider stated that there are some notes that show the Veteran was having headaches during that time, and his August 2013 post-deployment questionnaire is positive for a complaint of headaches. The reviewing provider stated, "The veteran seems to believe that the [headaches] are related to his retinal detachment. This is indeed a possibility." […] The Veteran credibly contends, and has consistently contended since at least October 2015, that he filed his initial claim for service connection for PTSD, headaches, tinnitus, and asthma on March 10, 2015, and that through no fault of his own, the paperwork was accidentally destroyed by the USPS while in transit to VA. His representative has submitted what documentation is available to him in support of this argument, which corroborates the Veteran's competent report and that the Board finds credible. In light of the foregoing, because the evidence supports the Veteran's claims, the Board finds that an effective date of March 10, 2015, is warranted for the awards of service connection for PTSD, post-traumatic headaches, tinnitus, and asthma.