Citation Nr: 18144364
Decision Date: 10/24/18	Archive Date: 10/24/18

DOCKET NO. 16-32 114
DATE:	October 24, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran had active air from August 2009 to September 2013.  
This case comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2014 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Oakland, California. 
The Board notes that in a June 2016 rating decision, the Veteran was assigned a 30 percent rating for his migraines, effective September 21, 2013, the effective date of service connection.  That does not constitute a complete grant of the benefit sought on appeal.  However, the Board has limited its consideration accordingly.
Entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches, is remanded.
The Board finds that additional development is warranted before the claim on appeal is decided.
The Veteran was last afforded a VA examination in October 2018. The examiner noted that the Veteran has prostrating attacks of migraine pain; however, the examiner failed to indicate the frequency of the prostrating attacks; which is necessary to establish if there is a greater degree of impairment than the currently assigned 30 percent evaluation. 
As the examination report lacks the necessary information to make a decision in this case, the Board finds that the October 2018 VA opinion is not adequate for adjudication purposes.  Therefore, the Veteran should be afforded a new VA examination to determine the current frequency of prostrating migraine.
Additionally, current treatment records should be identified and obtained before a decision is made. 
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Identify and obtain any pertinent, outstanding VA and private treatment records and associate them with the claims file.
2. Then, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination by an examiner with appropriate expertise to determine the current level of severity of all impairment resulting from his service-connected migraines. The claims file must be made available to, and reviewed by the examiner. Any indicated studies should be performed.  
The examiner must provide all information required for rating purposes, to specifically include frequency with which the Veteran experiences prostrating attacks of migraine pain.  Further, the examiner should identify whether the Veteran’s migraines result in severe economic inadaptability.
3. Confirm that the VA examination report comports with this remand, and undertake any other development determined to be warranted.
4. Then, readjudicate the claim. If a decision remains adverse to the Veteran, issue a supplemental statement of the case and allow the appropriate time for response. Then, return the case to the Board.
 
Kristin Haddock
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Christina Quant, Law Clerk